§ Mr. Jayasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how he proposes to make up the shortfall in sugar supplied to the British market following the phasing out of the Australian cane sugar quota after 1974.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe sources of supply of sugar to the British market will depend on the result of the negotiations to take place within the enlarged Community on imports of sugar from the developing Commonwealth countries and other Associated States, and on the future arrangements for domestic sugar beet production. However, we expect there to be an increase in the proportion supplied by home-grown beet.
§ Mr. Jayasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the 85W British Government will press for the European Community to join in the renegotiation of the International Sugar Agreement as an importing member.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe are taking all practicable steps to encourage the Community to pursue its declared intention of taking part in the forthcoming renegotiation of the Agreement.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the expected level of consumer demand for refined sugar in each of the member States of the European Community for 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe requirements of the present Member States for sugar for human consumption in 1972–-73 were estimated to be:
'000metric tons Belgium/Lux … … 350 Denmark … … 248 France … … 1,880 Germany … … 2,085 Ireland … … 145 Italy … … 1,565 Netherlands … … 600 United Kingdom … … 2,594 It is impossible to say what the demand will be in the future but in Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom there has been little or no growth in recent years while total consumption has expanded by about 150,000 tons per year in the other Member States.
§ Mrs. René Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average retail price of white refined sugar in each of the member States of the EEC in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartAnnual average prices, converted from prices in national currencies at average rates of exchange for the years in question, and including VAT where appropriate, were:
86W
p per lb. 1970 1971 1972 France 5½ 6 6½ Belgium/Luxembourg 7 6½ 8 Netherlands 6 6 7 Italy 7½ 7½ 8* Germany 6 6 7½ Denmark 6 6½ 7 United Kingdom 3.8† 4.2† 4.6† Ireland 4 4½ 5‡ * Average of 10 months. † based on the price of a 2lb. packet. ‡ Average of 8 months. 1973 prices for other Member States are not available but for January and February the average price in the United Kingdom was 4.4p.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the increase in sugar beet acreages in the United Kingdom in 1973 compared with 1972.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe understand that the British Sugar Corporation and the NFU have agreed on 468,000 acres for the 1973 crop compared with 443,000 acres last year.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to press for a reduction in EEC support prices for beet sugar in the next review period.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartMy right hon. Friend's attitude to prices under the Common Agricultural Policy was made clear in his statement to the House on 28th March 1973.—[Vol. 853, c. 1306–16.]
§ Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals have been made for phasing-out the Australian cane sugar quota after 1974.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe arrangements which will apply after 1974 to Australia's present quote under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement will be determined by the Community in due course.