Sugar

HC Deb 05 November 1974 vol 880 cc116-8W

Mr. Corbett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average monthly level of sugar supplies to wholesalers for each of the last 12 months.

Mr. Strang

Figures of supplies to wholesalers are not available. Deliveries of sugar by United Kingdom sugar refining companies for the retail trade have been as follows:

1974	Tons
January	98,000*
February	84,000
March	83,000
April	93,000*
May	76,000
June	79,000
July	98,000*
August	81,000
September	90,000
October (part estimated)	100,000*
* Five-week months.

In addition, sugar refined in other EEC member States started to arrive for distribution to the retail trade in the early summer. It is estimated that by September these additional supplies for retailers had risen to a level of about 3,000 tons a month.

Mr. Corbett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration has been given to the introduction of a system of rationing to ensure regular supplies of sugar.

Mr. Strang

As my right hon. Friend said in the reply given on 1st November —[Vol. 880, c.13.]—to the hon. Member for Blackpool, Souh (Mr. Blaker) our total sugar supplies in the year ending 30th September were in fact higher than in the previous year; and in particular supplies of retail packs in recent months have been at least as high as during the same period of 1973. I am very conscious of the difficulties being experienced by some consumers, but I regard these as arising not so much from an overall lack of supplies as from abnormally high demand, which, I hope, will moderate in due course. A close watch will continue to be kept upon the supply situation and in particular on the operation of the EEC arrangements referred to in reply to my hon. Friend's other Question; but we do not at present consider that it would be justifiable to seek powers that would enable rationing to be introduced.

Mr. Corbett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is proposed to enable consumers to obtain sufficient and regular supplies of sugar.

Mr. Strang

Action has already been taken in several ways. Firstly, as a result of recent discussions with the exporting parties to the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, shipments under the agreement between now and its expiry at the end of the year should be close to normal levels. Thereafter, we intend to see that the developing countries concerned continue to have access to the EEC market for 1.4 million tons of sugar.

Second, the Agricultural Ministers of the EEC recently decided to subsidise imports from the world market to the extent necessary to ensure an adequate supply of sugar throughout the Community during the 1974–75 marketing year at common prices.

Third, the increase which has been negotiated in the United Kingdom's beet sugar quota with effect from next year, together with our expected move to the full EEC prices for beet from 1st January, should encourage plantings next spring.