§ Lord Stanley of Alderleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they estimate that the amount of beef in United Kingdom intervention stores will increase by 1,800 tonnes in 1993–94 (H.L. Deb., 29th March, col. WA34), and whether they will take steps to sell more stocks of beef out of intervention stores while the price is at an all time high.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)Compared with 1992–93, purchases of beef into intervention in the UK should fall. However, intervention sales are expected to remain at a low level, mainly because of lack of demand for sales for export. Where suitable opportunities exist, beef will be sold out of intervention stores for processing in the UK or EC, but these sales must be operated in such a way as to avoid displacing beef on the open market. Although beef prices in the UK have increased, they remain below the level of those in most other European Community countries.