HC Deb 04 July 1973 vol 859 c144W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what commodities the United Kingdom Intervention Board is authorised to buy in: what commodities it can denature or otherwise render unfit for human consumption; and what commodities it can dispose of without resale.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

Subject to compliance with Community regulations, the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce is authorised to buy, at prices determined by the Community, wheat, barley, oil seed rape, skimmed milk powder, butter, sugar, beef and pigmeat, and it can authorise payments in respect of the denaturing of wheat, skimmed milk powder and sugar. The board is not at present authorised to dispose of any commodity which it has purchased without reselling it, but it may in the future be authorised to release stocks of certain commodities under the national and Community food aid programmes.