§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from the developing Commonwealth sugar producing countries, with particular relation to the memoranda they have submitted to the EEC Commission.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe have received no specific representations on this point. However, we maintain close contacts with the developing Commonwealth sugar producing countries, so that we are fully aware of their views.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to secure a continuing market in the enlarged EEC on fair terms for the quantities of sugar 267W covered by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement in respect of all its existing developing member countries.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartYes.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will raise at the Council of Ministers the whole question of the import of Commonwealth sugar into Europe after 1975;
(2) if he will take steps to seek to restrict sugar beet production in Great Britain and Europe after 1975 with a view to allowing room for import of the 1–4 million tons of Commonwealth sugar to which Her Majesty's Government have agreed.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI expect the Council of Ministers to consider in the near future what arrangements must be made for the continuing entry of Commonwealth sugar after 1974; the future of its internal sugar regime after the present temporary regime ends in mid-1975; and adherence to a new international sugar agreement. All these questions are to some extent interdependent. The United Kingdom will play its full part in these discussions with the intention of ensuring a secure and continuing market at fair prices within the Community for those quantities of sugar which we now receive from the developing Commonwealth, and a fair share for United Kingdom growers of the opportunities to produce sugar beet which will be available.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the sugar beet industry about production after 1975.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe are regularly in touch with both the National Farmers' Union and the British Sugar Corporation Ltd. on sugar beet production.
§ Mr. Marsdenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish his decisions in connection with the inquiry into the sugar industry.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartDiscussions with the refining companies are still in pro-268W gress and it is not possible to predict when these will be completed.
§ 84. Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the quantity of sugar supplied to the United Kingdom by Fiji in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe figures are as follows:
Year Quantity (metric tons 96° polarisation) 1970 146,946 1971 139,186 1972 151,247
§ Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the quantity of sugar supplied to the United Kingdom by Mauritius in each of the last three years.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe figures are as follows:
Year Quantity (metric tons 96° polarisation) 1970 434,694 1971 335,739 1972 444,638