§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps within the European Economic Community designed to dispose of all outstanding intervention surpluses suitable for consumption at present held in the United Kingdom under the provisions of the common agricultural policy and thereafter distribute such surpluses to pensioners, unemployed persons, disabled persons and persons classified as being poor by criteria currently recognised by the Government.
§ Mr. PeartApart from a quantity of beef held by the Irish Intervention Agency, the intervention stocks at present held in the United Kingdom under the provisions of the common agricultural policy are very small and in general there is no need to take any special steps to dispose of them. I have, however, been pressing for further improvements in the beef intervention system and the whole question of surpluses, including their disposal in the event of their arising in future, is one of the issues that will be considered in the stocktaking review of the common agricultural policy.