§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent, and where relevant on what dates, the common agricultural policy prices for 1972–73 will be applied in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. PriorFor the main commodities, the first move towards alignment with the common agricultural policy prices will take place for each commodity at the beginning of the 1973–74 season. Between 1st February, 1973, and the start of the 1973–74 seasons, the prices for each commodity will be determined in accordance with Article 51 of the Act of Accession.
For olive oil, wine, tobacco, cottonseed, hemp and flax, which are either not produced at all or not produced to any significant extent in the United Kingdom, the prices which I gave in the reply to Questions from the hon. Member and my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison) on 11th April would apply from 1st February, 1973, to the end of the period of application shown.—[Vol. 834, c. 166–70.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed statement giving particulars of the amounts of butter and cheese imported into this country for the longest and most convenient stated dates; and from which countries and to what extent on entry into the European Economic Community such imports from the Commonwealth countries will have to be phased out.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartButter and cheese import figures are available from the published "Annual Statement of Overseas Trade of the United Kingdom" for each year up to 1970. For 1971 the figures, which were published in the 349W December, 1971, issue of the Overseas Trade Statistics, are as follows:
Imports of butter into the United Kingdom in 1971 (provisional) Tons Argentina … … 1,269 Australia … … 32,051 Austria … … 1,959 Belgium … … 2,646 Bulgaria … … 178 Canada … … 3,114 China … … 166 Denmark … … 69,401 Finland … … 13,394 West Germany … … 1,554 Hungary … … 775 France … … 6,750 Irish Republic … … 30,022 Lebanon … … 798 Morocco … … 1,468 Netherlands … … 17,115 New Zealand … … 144,452 Norway … … 435 Poland … … 5,593 Rumania … … 5,059 South Africa … … 751 Sweden … … 2,269 United States … … 25,781 Others … … 489 Total … … 367,489
Imports of cheese into the United Kingdom in 1971 (provisional) Tons Australia … … 6,561 Austria … … 961 Bulgaria … … 704 Canada … … 12,151 Denmark … … 9,770 Finland … … 1,416 France … … 9,563 Irish Republic … … 25,283 Italy … … 1,246 Netherlands … … 17,395 New Zealand … … 70,280 Norway … … 4,124 Poland … … 736 Switzerland … … 1,079 United States … … 93 West Germany … … 586 Others … … 2,767 Total … … 164,715 Special arrangements have been made for imports of butter and cheese from New Zealand which is our main Commonwealth supplier. The extent of imports from other Commonwealth countries will depend on the market situation.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report comparable prices for sugar beet 350W in 1970, 1971 and 1972 in Great Britain and the countries of the Six; and to what extent he estimates profits margins for sugar beet growers will fall or rise under the European Economic Community regulations.
§ Mr. PriorThe price paid for sugar beet in the Community varies according to whether the sugar produced from it falls within the basic quota of the factory concerned ("quota A" beet), between its basic and maximum quotas ("quota B") or above its maximum quota ("quota C"). The minimum prices payable for beet are as follows:
£ per long ton 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 In Italy Quota A* 7.82 8.02 8.31 Quota B 4.85 5.06 5.23 Elsewhere in the Community Quota A 7.20 7.20 7.48 Quota B 4.23 4.23 4.40 *The Italian Government may make an additional payment on quota A beet of up to £0.47 per ton in 1970–71 and up to £0.76 per ton in 1971–72 and 1972–73. There is no minimum price for quota C beet. The guaranteed prices for beet in the United Kingdom for these years are £6.95, £7.60 and £8 per ton, respectively. These prices, however, are not comparable. The United Kingdom price is for beet delivered to the factory, while the Community prices are for beet delivered to a collection centre which is normally at or near the farm; and growers in the Community, but not in the United Kingdom, are entitled to the return of the beet pulp free of charge or a cash payment in lieu.
At present Community prices I would expect beet growing in the United Kingdom to become more profitable but it is impossible to estimate by how much.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that the Commission of the European Economic Community have submitted to the Council a draft regulation on the establishment of a common organisation for the production, prices, trade and commerce rules for supply and use of alcoholic drink, with more than 15 per cent, content; whether the United Kingdom will have to adopt such regulations on Great Britain's entry 351W into the European Economic Community; and whether he will make details of same available to the House of Commons.
§ Mr. PriorI assume the hon. Member has in mind the draft of a regulation on the common organisation of the market in ethyl alcohol which was submitted to the Council on 6th March, 1972. The draft primarily takes account of the circumstances of the present member States and is subject to modification in the light of consultation with the acceding States under the interim period arrangements. It is at present being studied by the United Kingdom Departments in consultation with the interests concerned. Particulars of the proposal were published on 10th March in "Community News", a copy of which is available in the Library.