§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why an EEC subsidy has been granted to sugar manufacturers and refiners processing raw sugar produced in the French overseas departments.
§ Mr. GodberIt was considered appropriate that all refiners of raw cane sugar in the enlarged Community should have available to them the same refining margin. The subsidy is accordingly intended to raise the margin for refiners in the six original member States of the Community who take raw cane sugar produced in the French overseas departments to the level available to the refiners of the raw cane sugar purchased under the Common-wealth Sugar Agreement, which may only be imported into the United Kingdom. It replaces a national subsidy which the French Government were previously 61W authorised by the Community to pay to the French port refineries for the refining of the same sugar.