§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make proposals at the next meeting of Common Market Agriculture Ministers to ensure that the present skimmed milk powder mountain is substantially and speedily diminished and to provide for a substantial reduction in milk powder prices to British food manufacturers.
§ Mr. BishopWe are in regular touch with the European Commission about the disposal of the current stocks of skimmed milk powder, part of which has already been made available for developing countries. The pricing arrangements for skimmed milk powder is one of the questions which will be considered in the stock-taking exercise now in progress.
§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the EEC price for skimmed milk powder and the estimated intervention stocks of skimmed milk powder for each month over the past year and a half.
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§ Mr. BishopThe EEC intervention prices for skimmed milk powder from 14th May 1973 were as follows:
uas per 100 kg £ per ton 14th May 1973–31st March 1974 66.00 309.83 1st April 1974–6th October 1974 79.00 370.85 7th October 1974–2nd March 1975 82.74 419.23 From 3rd March 1975 88.70 459.44 The level of Community intervention stocks of skimmed milk powder at the beginning of each month over the past year and a half were:
Tonnes 1973 November 182,600 December 179 200 1974 January 165,600 February 158,900 March 139,100 April 122,900 May 134,200 June 174,800 July 215,200 August 268,000 September 321,600 October 318,400 November 352,000 December 365,100 1975 January 365,200 February 349,800 March 373,000* April 433,000* * Approximate.