§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes were made in EEC sugar beet quotas at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 18th-19th November last; when, and in what manner, these changes were announced in the United Kingdom; and if he will now up-date and publish the table in Written Answers, 6th November, columns 163–164, together with the annual totals of "A" and "B" quotas.
437W
§ Mr. StrangAt its meeting on 21st-22nd October, the Council of Ministers fixed new basic production quotas for the marketing years 1975–76 to 1979–80 inclusive, and also decided that for 1975–76 each manufacturer's maximum quota should be equal to 145 per cent. of his basic quota. These new quotas were announced in a Press notice issued by my Department on 24th October, and were also included in the written reply to which my hon. Friend refers. The only information given in that reply which requires up-dating is the estimate of production in 1974–75 for which the latest figures are:
Thousand metric tons white sugar equivalent Belgium … 580 Denmark … 380 France—beet … 2,775 —cane … 280 Germany … 2,265 Ireland … 145 Italy … 870 Netherlands … 700 United Kingdom … 633 The only decision relating to quotas which the Council took at its meeting on 18th–19th November was that, for the marketing year 1976–77, no manufacturer should have a maximum quota lower than his production within the maximum quota during 1975–76.