HC Deb 23 January 1975 vol 884 c431W
Mr. Marten

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tons of beef the EEC Commission has sold to the USSR; at what price; and at what cost to the EEC in payments to exporters.

Mr. Bishop

The EEC Commission itself sold no beef to the USSR in 1974. Beef is released by the Community from intervention stocks and sold at prices related to current world prices laid down in Community regulations. Stocks then pass through normal commercial channels and are subject to contracts between importers and exporters. The Commission estimates that 80,000 tonnes of intervention beef were sold in this way to USSR in 1974. It is not possible to say the exact quantity exported to Russia or what amount of export restitution from Community funds has been paid on these exports.