§ Mr. Staintonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the concern among English apple growers regarding the lack of information as to the operation of compensatory levies for apples when the United Kingdom joins the European Economic Community, if he will take steps to remedy the situation.
§ Mr. GodberAs my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the House on 20th December, the EEC Council of Ministers has now reached agreement on the compensatory amounts for apples and pears. For apples, there will be three rates for different groups of varieties of 12.3 units of 477W account per 100 kilograms (about £52 per ton) for Group I, 8.6 units of account per 100 kilograms (about £36 per ton) for Group II, and 5.5 units of account (about £23 per ton) for Group III. For pears, there will be a single rate of 8.6 units of account. These are basic rates for trade with countries other than Denmark and the Irish Republic.
I am placing in the Library of the House a note giving additional information, and my Department is arranging for further publicity.
§ Mr. Charles Morrisonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give further details of the arrangements affecting beef agreed at the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) in Brussels on 18th, 19th and 20th December.
§ Mr. GodberThe Council of Ministers reached agreement on the initial guide price levels and method of calculating compensatory amounts in the beef and veal sector. The initial guide prices, which apply from 1st February until the end of March, will be 67 units of account per 100 kilograms (£14.18 per live cwt) for adult cattle and 83 units of account (£17.58) for calves. These compare with the present common guide price levels of 78 units of account per 100 kilograms (£16.51 per live cwt) for adult cattle and 96.5 units of account (£20.43) for calves.
These same initial guide prices will apply in the Republic of Ireland so that trading arrangements between the two countries will not be altered. Denmark will adopt the common guide price levels on accession.
The rules for calculating the compensatory amounts were also agreed. The basic compensatory amounts on cattle and calves are the difference between the common and the United Kingdom guide prices. The actual rates of import charges and export restitutions will depend upon the rates of the Customs duties which are applied and whether third country levies are in operation.
The Council also reached agreement on a new system of intervention in the beef sector which is additional to the existing arrangements. Under the new system, intervention qualities and prices will be decided at the beginning of each marketing year for each member State, and will 478W operate throughout the year on a permanent basis. This new system will apply only to meat originating in the Community and produced from adult cattle which kill out at above 50 per cent. The arrangements for operating this system in the individual member States remain to be worked out. Further discussions will be taking place on this.