§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the total cost of subsidies paid from Community funds to sugar exporters within the European Community in each of the last five years;
(2) what was the amount of subsidy paid to sugar exporters from European Community funds in each member state in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerCommunity expenditure on export refunds for sugar over the past five years is detailed in the following table.
The figure for 1982 is a provisional forecast of expenditure prepared by the Commission. I regret that a breakdown by member states is not yet available.
Part of these costs is financed through a levy on European Community producers.
Table EC Expenditure on Export Refunds for Sugar 1978–1982 mecus (£ million) 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 provisional Belgium 115(77) 162(105) 46(28) 66(37) Denmark 32(21) 28(18) 6(4) 18(10) Germany 152(101) 97(63) 60(36) 76(42) Greece — — — — France 300(199) 345(224) 149(90) 203(113) Ireland — 3(2) 3(2) — Italy — — — 14(8) Luxembourg — — — — Netherlands 39(26) 43(28) 19(11) 26(15) United Kingdom 2(1) 7(5) 3(2) 6(3) EC Total 640(425) 685(445) 286(173) 409(228) 744(410) Source: FEOGA Guarantee Section Reports.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total sugar beet acreages, under the A, B and C quotas, in each member state of the European Community in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithQuotas apply to quantities of sugar produced, not to area sown. The total area sown to sugar beet—other than for the production of alcohol—in each member state in each of the past five years is as follows. There is no production in Luxembourg.
454W
(thousand hectares) 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 Denmark 75 73 75 76 76 Germany 411 405 414 464 428
(thousand hectares) 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 France 525 510 521 616 540 Ireland 37 35 33 35 35 Italy 255 275 282 319 255 Netherlands 130 125 122 130 134 Belgium 113 119 120 137 130 United Kingdom 204 214 210 207 202 TOTAL (9 member states) 1,750 1,756 1,777 1,984 1,800 Greece 46 44 28 42 40 TOTAL (10 member states) 1,805 2,026 1,840 Source: European Commission.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total production of sugar beet, under the A, B, and C quotas, in each member state of the European Community in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThis information is not readily available. Community statistics are recorded in terms of sugar, not of sugar beet.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards negotiations for a new international sugar agreement in 1984.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe Government have consistently favoured Community accession to the international sugar agreement and will support the granting of a mandate to the Commission enabling it to take a full part in the negotiation of a new agreement.