§ Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the forthcoming meeting with the Commonwealth sugar-producing countries.
§ Mr. GodberThe main purpose of the meeting with the Governments of those developing countries associated with the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement is to hold informal discussions on the arrangements which will be necessary to provide for their continuing exports of sugar after 1974 when our contractual obligations under the CSA come to an end. The House will recall that arrangements have to be negotiated to implement the assurances given in Part III of Protocol 22 of the Accession Treaty and the Lancaster House declaration of June 1971.
There will also be the opportunity to discuss our existing contractual commitments. We need to ensure that the quantities of sugar involved under the CSA can be effectively marketed and refined in this country. The Government have accepted that, for this purpose, a refining margin of approximately £17 per ton is requited. Under the arrangements agreed 192W in Brussels in January, the margin results from the difference between the price at which raw cane sugar enters the United Kingdom and the price at which white sugar can be marketed. This difference is not currently producing the required result. I shall, therefore, be discussing with my colleagues in the Ministerial Council meeting in Brussels next week by what measures we can best rectify the situation. I shall inform the House of the outcome.