§ Mr. Galeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the raw equivalent of processed potatoes so far imported in 1984; and what percentage of total consumption this represents.
§ Mr. MacGregorDuring the period from 1 January to 30 September 1984 (the latest period for which figures are available) imports of processed potatoes into the United Kingdom amounted to 283,000 tonnes (raw equivalent) which represents around 7 per cent. of the total potato consumption in that period.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he will make to control the quality and quantity of imported first early potatoes;
(2) what proposals he will make, in the light of paragraph 57 of the inspector's report on the public inquiry into the proposed amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme 1955, to subject imported potatoes to the same grading and quality controls as domestic potatoes.
§ Mr. MacGregorIn 1979 the European Court of Justice ruled illegal any quantitative restrictions on imports of potatoes into the United Kingdom from other member states. The Government, however, hold regular consultations with the major exporting countries to facilitate matching volume, quality and timing of their supplies to the varying needs of our market.
The Government are continuing to examine with the Potato Marketing Board and the farmers' unions the question of grading and quality standards for imported potatoes.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the criteria for the making of grants, in excess of the basic area 1985, under the special arrangements for first early potatoes.
§ Mr. MacGregorThis is a matter for the Potato Marketing Board.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals are contained in the proposed amendments to the Potato Marketing Scheme 1955 (as amended) to increase the home market share of processed potatoes.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe board's amendments are designed generally to improve the operation of the scheme to the benefit of the whole of the potato industry in Great Britain.
Moreover, the Government have encouraged the board and the potato processors to examine together the opportunities for joint cooperation to promote the uptake of home-grown potatoes by the processing sector.