§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the equalisation fund payments operated for the benefit of French egg producers affects the competitive position of eggs produced in the United Kingdom; whether he has registered an opinion with the EEC Commission, with the purpose of asking it to fix a countervailing charge
Units of account Sterling equivalent at 2.4ua = £l Refunds on milk and milk products … … 328,096,615.44 136,706,923.10 Intervention in respect of milk and milk products Aid to skimmed milk intended for animal feed … … 349,255,854.64 145,523,272.76 Aid to skimmed milk processed into casein … … 57,167,487.73 23,819,786.55 Storage of skimmed milk powder … … 1,195,194.81 497,997.84 Storage of butter and procedures for the reduction of the surplus of butter fats … … 651,749,337.49 271,562,223.95 Food aid from common stocks of skimmed milk powder … … 28,716,813.69 11,965,339.04 Food aid from common butter stocks … … 27,548,000.80 11,478,333.67 Other expenditure Aid to butter consumption … … 14,768,390.40 6,153,496.00 Total … … 1,458,497,695.00 607,707,372.91 An explanation of each item of expenditure is as follows:
Refunds on milk and milk products: these figures relate to export refunds on third country trade.
Aid to skimmed milk intended for animal feeding: subsidies are paid on liquid skimmed milk and skimmed milk powder in order to encourage their utilisation in animal feed.
Aid to skimmed milk processed into casein: a subsidy is paid on liquid skimmed milk used for the manufacture of casein, taking account of the price of casein imported at the world market price and also the value of liquid skimmed milk under the support arrangements of the Community.
Storage of skimmed milk powder: the net losses of intervention agencies on the buying and selling of skimmed milk powder are met by Community funds, and their incidental costs on storage and financing are reimbursed at standard rates.
42Wunder Article 46 of the Treaty of Rome; and, if so, when.
§ Mr. BishopI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Torney) on 4th March.—[Vol. 887, c. 368.]