§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he proposes to change the monopoly marketing arrangements at present administered by the British Sugar Corporation under the Sugar Act, 1956;
(2) whether he will permit the establishment and operation of further factories for the refining of beet and cane sugar in the United Kingdom, in view of the recent negotiations to enter the European Economic Community.
(3) if he will give a list of the European Economic Community regulations appertaining to beet production and refining of beet sugar and marketing operations within the territories of member states; and whether any of them will entail revision of the Sugar Act, 1965 and regulations made thereunder.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWhile the sugar regime of the European Economic Cornmunity will inevitably affect the working of the Sugar Act 1956, I cannot anticipate what changes in it might be needed. My right hon. Friend's consent is not required in order to establish or operate sugar refining factories.
The following is a list of the regulations concerned:
474W
Number of Regulation Title 1009/67 Common organisation of markets in the sugar sector (amended by 2100/68, 1393/69, 1398/69, 2463/69, 2485/69, 853/70, 1253/ 70 and 1060/71). 1027/67 Fixing basic quotas for sugar. 1043/67 Rules for determining basic quotas. 206/68 General code of provisions for sugar beet purchase contracts. 246/68 Differentiation in sugar beet contracts. 431/68 The standard quality and Community frontier point for calculating world cif prices. 447/68 General rules for intervention in the sugar sector (amended by 1395/69, 2487/69, 2274/70 and 1281/71). 748/68 General rules for carry-over of part of production to the following sugar season (supplemented by 2104/68 as amended by 187/70 and 2644/70).
475W
Regulation Number of Title 750/68 General rules for refund of storage costs (amended by 297/69, 1394/69 and 152/71, and supplemented by 2120/71). 765/68 General rules for refunds onsugar used in the chemical industry (supplemented by 891/69 and amended by 2486/69). 766/68 General rules for export refunds (amended by 729/69, 2488/69 and 1048/71). 770/68 The Advance fixing of import levies. 784/68 Method of calculating cif prices of white and raw sugar. 835/68 Application of the system of refunds on sugar used in) the chemical industry (amended by 772/71). 837/68 Application of the sugar import levy system (amended by 878/69 and 1491/70). 1431/68 Definition of "sugar-producing enterprise" for purpose of determining basic quotas. 1898/68 Adjustment of production quotas in the case of mergers or transfers of sugar enterprises and transfers or lettings of sugar factories (supplemented by 1207/70 and 1481/70). 103/69 Method of applying the system of carrying over a part of production to the following season (amended by 144/69). 142/69 Method of applying the quota system (supplemented by 755/70 and amended by 334/71). 1265/69 Determination of quality for intervention purposes. 1987/69 Sales by tender by intervention authorities. 2049/69 General rules for denaturing sugar for animal feed. 2061/69 Application of the system of denaturing sugar for animal feed (amended by 267/70, 1068/70 and 772/71). 2497/69 Premiums and discounts applicable to sugar betet prices (supplemented by 2571 /69). 394/70 Application of the export subsidy sytem. 442/70 Application of the system of refund of storage costs (amended by 335/71). 2645/70 Production of sugar above maximum quotas. 1061/71 Prices in the sugar sector for 1971/72 and the standard qualities of white sugar and sugar beet.
Regulation Number of Title 1062/71 Fixing, for 1971/72, the derived intervention prices, the intervention prices for raw sugar, the minimum prices of beet, the threshold prices, the guaranteed quantity, the maximum production levy, and the special maximum quota. 1280/71 Conditions of purchase by intervention authorities. 1396/71 The rate of storage levy and refund for 1971/72.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the national production quotas operated under the common agricultural policy at the present time.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe following national production quotas are operated under the Community's temporary market regime for sugar which is due to end with the 1974–75 season.
000 metric tons France 2,400 Germany 1,750 Italy 1,230 Netherlands 550 Belgium and Luxembourg 550
§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether under the rules and practices of the European Economic Community grants or aid to pest clearance societies are permitted.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI am not aware of any E.E.C. provisions which would preclude such assistance.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes a review of the acreage quotas administered by the British Sugar Corporation so that the amount of levy payable under the common agricultural policy following entry into the European Economic Community may be abated in the interests of the United Kingdom balance of payments.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for King's Lynn (Mr. Brocklebank-Fowler) on 19th October.—[Vol. 823, c. 522–3.]