HC Deb 15 March 1973 vol 852 cc377-81W
12. Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increase in retail food prices has occurred during the 26 months ended 28th February 1973.

Mr. Godber

Between mid-January 1971 and mid-January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, the food index rose by 22.7 per cent.

25. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction in food prices he will propose to the Council of Ministers of the EEC at its next meeting.

32. Mr. Raphael Tuck

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will propose substantial reductions in food prices to the Council of Ministers of the EEC at its next meeting.

Mr. Godber

I have made clear that the United Kingdom is opposed to general increases in prices in the common agricultural policy. No proposals, however, have yet been put forward for consideration by the Council of Ministers.

27. Mr. McBride

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of lamb in the United Kingdom since the date of the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the European Economic Community.

39. Mr. Coleman

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage increase in the retail price of beef in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the European Economic Community.

Mrs. Fenner

The following table shows the percentage increases in the average prices of beef and lamb collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available.

Item Percentage increase in average price
Beef: Home-killed
Chuck 43.5
Sirloin (without bone) 38.4
Silverside (without bone)* 35.9
Back ribs (with bone)* 42.5
Fore ribs (with bone) 41.3
Brisket (with bone) 56.8
Rump steak* 31.6
Beef: Imported, chilled
Chuck 34.7
Silverside (without bone)* 27.8
Rump steak* 22.6
Lamb: Home-killed
Loin (with bone) 37.0
Breast* 39.8
Best end of neck 39.2
Shoulder (with bone) 39.6
Leg (with bone) 34.1
Lamb: Imported
Loin (with bone) 47.0
Breast* 49.3
Best end of neck 48.0
Shoulder (with bone) 39.8
Leg (with bone) 33.4
*Or Scottish equivalent.

29. Mr. Meacher

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much the average price of fresh foods as a whole has increased since 1st November.

Mr. Godber

There is no retail price index for fresh foods as such. However, the following details give the percentage increase in the main sub-groups of the food index between 14th November 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available.

Per cent.
Increase in the Index of Retail Food Prices between 15th November 1972 and 16th January 1973 3.5
of which
(a) items the prices of which show significant seasonal variations 5.2
(b) others 31
of which
(i) items mainly home-produced for direct consumption 8.1
(ii) items mainly imported for direct consumption 3.2
(iii) items manufactured in the United Kingdom 0.7

NOTES:

(a) The items the prices of which show significant seasonal variations include home-killed lamb, fresh and smoked fish, eggs, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit.

(b) (i) The items mainly home-produced for direct consumption include home-killed beef, pork, ox liver, chicken and fresh milk.

(b) (ii) The items mainly imported for direct consumption include imported beef and lamb, calves liver, bacon, ham, canned meat and fish, butter, lard, cheese, tea, dried fruit and canned fruit (other than fruit salad).

37. Mr. Parry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of cheese in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

Mrs. Fenner

On the basis of information collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices, between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, the average retail price of cheddar cheese increased by 9.6 per cent.

42. Mr. Leadbitter

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of butter in the United Kingdom since the signature of the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

Mrs. Fenner

On the basis of information collected for the purposes of the Index of Retail Food Prices, between 18th January 1972 and 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available the average retail price of New Zealand butter fell by 24 per cent. and of Danish butter by 21 per cent.

47. Mr. Dormand

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food how many letters relating to food prices he has received since 1st January 1973.

Mrs. Fenner

About 8,000.

48. Mr. Horam

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the price of food since June 1970, since February 1972, and since the freeze began.

Mr. Godber

The increases in the food index up to 16th January 1973, the latest date for which information is available, are 27.4 per cent. since mid-June 1970, 9.3 per cent. since mid-February 1972 and 3.5 per cent. since mid-November 1972.

55. Mr. Fernyhough

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much per pound he expects the retail price of butter to increase in the United Kingdom in April as a consequence of the rise of £86 per ton which is the first step towards harmonising the present cost of approximately £357 per ton in the United Kingdom with the price of £837 per ton in the EEC.

Mrs. Fenner

I would refer the right hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made on 2nd March about the probable postponement of any change in the intervention price until 1st May.—[Vol. 851, c.450.]

Mr. Milne

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage rise in the retail price of representative types of fish since the Treaty of Accession with the EEC.

Mrs. Fenner

Representative consumer prices for February are not yet available, but in any case there is no provision in the common agricultural policy of the EEC which became applicable from that month which would have affected the price of fish.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions since the beginning of the freeze approval has been given for increases in price of processed meat products; and what was the extent of these increases on each occasion.

Mr. Godber

Since 6th November I have given consent to price increases for processed meat products on three occasions, as follows:

p per lb.
29th November 1972:
Sausages and meat pies 1
21st December 1972:
Tongue and ham 6
Brisket of beef 5
Canned beef and mutton 3
Beef burgers and other beef or pork products. 2
Sausages and meat pies 1
22nd February 1973-revised on 14th March 1973:
Beef or pork sausages and meat pies or similar minced products. 2–3 according to meat content
Canned or quick-frozen beef or lamb products. 2–6 according to meat content
Canned or quick-frozen pork products. 3–4
Chicken products 1
Beef burgers 3–6 according to meat content
Solid meat packs 4–12 according to product