HC Deb 29 July 1988 vol 138 cc665-7W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in

Levy applicable in the United Kingdom, threshold price and notional 'world" price on 6 January and 23 July 1988; supplies for consumption in the United Kingdom; information for the main food items covered by the Common Agricultural Policy
6 January 1988 23 July 1988
Commodity 1 Threshold (or equivalent) price 2 Levy applicable in UK 3 Notional "world" price 1 Threshold (or equivalent price) 2 Levy applicable in UK 3 Notional "world" price 99 Supplies for human consumption in, UK
£/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne '000 tonnes
Common wheat 173 135 51 165 85 88 5,466
Barley 158 126 43 150 65 92 1,967
Maize 158 117 51 163 83 88 1,160

economic consequences of United Kingdom membership of the European Communities (pages 39–40 of HC 57–11 Session 1984–85).

Mr. Donald Thompson

The information requested in respect of table f 1 is as shown. Information updating table f2 appears at table 25 in the White Paper on the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1988" (Cm. 299).

the Official Report a table showing for 6 January and for the latest available date the United Kingdom levy/ threshold price for products covered by the common agricultural policy, the United Kingdom levy and the world price together with the amount consumed in the United Kingdom in the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr. Donald Thompson

The information is set out in the table. I remind the hon. Member that the "world" prices shown are generally the lowest offer prices at the Community frontier which underlie the Commission's calculation of the variable import levies. These prices are the lowest recorded and it is likely that, on average, higher prices would have to be paid if larger quantities were to be purchased on world markets or if suppliers on world markets diminished.

I must caution strongly against drawing conclusions from the information requested.

6 January 1988 23 July 1988
Commodity 1 Threshold (or equivalent) price 2 Levy applicable in UK 3 Notional "world" price 1 Threshold (or equivalent price) 2 Levy applicable in UK 3 Notional "world" price 9 Supplies for human consumption in UK
£/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne £/tonne '000 tonnes
Sugar (white) 440 4313 140 435 4249 196 2,111
Butter (82 per cent, fat) 2,336 51,853 553 2,336 51741 641 266
Cheese (Cheddar) 2,365 1,715 771 2,365 1,615 830 396
Skimmed milk powder 1,302 794 553 1,302 788 541 121
Beef and veal 2,708 61,756 1,138 2,708 61,765 1,075 1,124
Pigmeat 1,412 565 590 1,431 556 616 1,300
Sheepmeat 2,821 7 8 2,821 7 8 362
Poultrymeat 1,016 451 696 1,015 401 699 1,022
Eggs 869 293 687 822 571 305 738
Notes to table:
All figures have been rounded to nearest pound.
1 For commodities for which there is no threshold price the following have been used: beef and veal—guide price converted to deadweight (using a killing out percentage of 53.8 per cent.); pigmeat and sheepmeat—basic price; poultrymeat and eggs—sluicegate prices plus basic levy converted at the green rate.
2 Levy is net of monetary compensatory amounts. Rates of levy vary for different tariff headings. The rates quoted are: beef and veal and pigmeat—carcase; poultrymeat—70 per cent, chickens; eggs—in shell.
3 Notional "world" prices have been calculated by subtracting the levy applicable from the "threshold" price. The beef price is also adjusted for duty. For pigmeat, poultrymeat and eggs the "world" price has been taken as the sluicegate price, less supplementary levy, where appropriate. The resulting estimate has been converted from ecu/t at the appropriate market rate of exchange: £0.694909 = 1 ecu on 6 January and £0.656335 = 1 ecu on 23 July.
4 In practice the United Kingdom's imports from third countries are normally covered by the Lome convention and enter the Community levy-free.
5 A special lower rate of levy is applicable to imports of butter from New Zealand.
6 Most imports of beef from third countries are subject to special arrangements allowing entry at reduced levy rate.
7 Imports of lamb under voluntary restraint arrangements with principal suppliers and related agreements are subject to a reduced charge of 10 per cent, ad valorem. Any imports outside these arrangements are subject to levies which cannot exceed the 20 per cent, tariff bound in the GATT.
8 No appropriate "world" price is available.
9 Total United Kingdom new supplies mainly for human consumption (1987 forecast): the figures for cereals include grains used for brewing, distilling and industrial uses but exclude animal feed. The figures for butter and cheese include all types of these products.