§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give his reasons for expecting a reduced price to the consumer for liquid milk if Great Britain should sign the Treaty of Rome.
§ Mr. PriorThe return to the Milk Marketing Boards for milk sold for liquid consumption is already above the target price in the European Economic Community. Under our present system increases in the retail price of milk are necessary in order to finance the guarantee and the Milk Marketing Boards receive a high return for milk sold for liquid consumption and a low return for milk sold for manufacture into milk products. If the United Kingdom were to be a member of the European220W Economic Community, the United Kingdom milk producer would receive during the transitional period an increasing return for milk sold for manufacture and the need for increases in the price of liquid milk to the consumer would be removed or reduced. Liquid milk is generally cheaper in the European Economic Community than in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a comparison between the current price of liquid milk in the United Kingdom and each of the Common Market countries, taking into account the latest price review.
§ Mr. PriorPrecise comparison of retail prices of liquid milk between countries is difficult because of differences in quality, packaging and service. The following prices from official sources however, give a broad indication of relative levels in January, 1971—October, 1970 in the case of Italy:
Retail price per pint New pence United Kingdom … … 5* Belgium … … 4† France … … 4† Germany … … 5 Italy … … 5½ Netherlands … … 4 * Following the 1971 Annual Review Award the maximum retail price will be increased by ½p at the beginning of July, 1971. † Price increases have been announced recently by the French and Belgian Governments. At the beginning of April the retail price of milk rose by 0.38p and 0.21p per pint in France and Belgium respectively.
§ Sir A. Meyerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give up to date figures, from information available to him from international sources, comparing United Kingdom guaranteed prices for barley, pigs, fat cattle and milk with the target and intervention prices in the European Economic Community, taking into account the increased prices offered under the 1971 Annual Price Review and the recent increases agreed in Brussels for European Economic Community farmers.
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§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe information is as follows:
U.K. prices for 1971–72 guarantee years E.E.C. prices for 1971–72 marketing seasons BARLEY (£ per cwt.) (July-June for U.K., August-July for E.E.C.) Guaranteed price 1.45 Target price (Duisberg) … 2.12 (a) Basic intervention price (Duisberg) (b) … 1.95 (a) CATTLE (£ per live cwt.) (April-March) Guaranteed price 12.35 Guide price … 15.24 (c) Intervention price … (d) PIGS (£ per score deadweight) (April-March. 1971–72 for U.K., November-October, 1970–71 for E.E.C.) Basic guaranteed price (subject to feed formula and flexible guarantee arrangements) 2.93 Basic price … 2.92 Intervention price … 2.48–2.69 MILK (p per gallon) (April-March) Guaranteed price (linked to a standard quantity) 22.1 Target price (farm-gate equivalent) … 20.5 Intervention price (e) … 19.8 NOTES:
(a) The target and intervention prices shown are the prices for August. The prices normally rise on a seasonal scale but this has not yet been fixed for 1971–72. The prices for January, which is about the mid-point of the scale, are likely to be some 7p above the August prices.
(b) Derived intervention prices, which cannot be higher than the price at Duisberg, are calculated for other areas in the Community. These have not yet been fixed for 1971–72.
(c) The guide price for 1972–73 will be £15.87 per live cwt.
(d) Intervention measures may be taken in any region of the Community if the market price is less than 98 per cent. and is more than 93 per cent. of the guide price. Intervention measures must be taken if the market price is less than 93 per cent. of the guide price.
(e) Milk equivalent of all intervention prices for milk products.
§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the comparative current average prices of main food items in the United Kingdom and in the European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. PriorPrecise comparison of retail food prices in various countries is difficult because of differences in product definition, quality and systems of
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RETAIL PRICES OF MAIN FOODSTUFFS IN THE UNITFD KINGDOM AND THE E.E.C. JANUARY, 1971 Pence per lb. (except for milk and eggs) United Kingdom Belgium France West Germany Italy* Netherlands MEAT Beef 46½ 76½ 66 52 65 62 (sirloin, boneless) (steak) (steak) (hind, boneless) (boneless) (roasting) Pork 35 44 27½ 42 59 42½ (loin, with bone) (rib chop) (rib) (chop) (boneless) (rib chop) Chickens (oven ready, for roasting). 21 25½ 20 19½ n.a. 23 (fresh or chilled) MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS Milk (per pint) 5 4 4 5 5½ 4 Butter 18½ 40½ 43 39 50½ 38½ (New Zealand) 21½ (Danish) Cheese 20½ 30 43 46 n.a. 32 (Cheddar type) (various types) (Emmenthal) (Emmenthal) (Gouda matured) Margarine 12 12 15½ 14 n.a. 12½ (Standard) (Vegetable) Eggs (per dozen) 23 31½ 29½ 28½ 34 20 (Standard) Bread 5½ 5 7½ 7 6½ 5 (white) (average of Baguette & Parisien) (dark, mixed) (brown) Sugar 4 7 5½ 6 7½ 6 distribution, but the following price information, taken from official statistical publications provides a broad indication of retail price relativities. Because of these differences it does not necessarily follows that United Kingdom price levels would be the same as those in Community Countries if the United Kingdom were to join the European Economic Community.
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RETAIL PRICES OF MAIN FOODSTUFFS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE E.E.C., JANUARY, 1971 Pence per lb. (except for milk and eggs) United Kingdom Belgium France West Germany Italy* Netherlands FRUIT AND VEGETABLES Dessert apples 8½ 6 5 5½ n.a. 4 Oranges 7 7½ 7 6½ n.a. 6½ Bananas 7½ 6½ 7½ 6½ n.a. 6½ Potatoes (main crop) 1½ 1½ 1½ 2 3 1½ (white, loose) Carrots 3 5½ 4½ 4½ n.a. 4½ Onions 4 4 4½ 4 n.a. 3 Cauliflowers 9½ n.a. 7½ 7 n.a. n.a. Tomatoes 18½ 23½ 12 15½ n.a. n.a. * Prices relate to October, 1970. n.a. = no representative quotation available. Sources: Belgium—Moniteur Beige.
France—Bulletin Mensuel de Statistique.
West Germany—Preise Löhne Wirtschaftrechnung-Reihe 6.
Italy—Bolletino mensile di Statistica.
Netherlands—Prijsindexcijfers van de gezinconsumptie.
United Kingdom—Department of Employment.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest available figure for the number of acres of apples, pears and peaches grubbed up in the European Economic Community; and what is the comparable figure for the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe only published information of which I am aware is that by October, 1970, applications covering 11,268 acres of apple, pear and peach trees had been received in European Economic Community countries under the grubbing-up scheme introduced in December, 1969. No comparable figure is available for the United Kingdom, as the orchard-grubbing grants paid in this country are related to grubbing costs and not to acreage.
§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can forecast the demand/supply situation for hard-topped fruit in the event of the United Kingdom becoming a member of the European Economic Community, and in the event of membership of the European Economic Community being enlarged by Norway, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartIt is not possible to make detailed forecasts of market conditions which might obtain in the event of entry into the Community by the United Kingdom and the other applicant countries. The Community recognises that at present it has a structural surplus of apples and pears, and it is taking steps to bring this over-supply under con-224W trol. The elimination of internal barriers to trade is expected to result in further supplies from within the Community being available here, with lower prices during their marketing season and some stimulation of demand.