§ Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the locations of beef stored in intervention are confidential; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopWhen securing storage for intervention beef the Intervention Board relies on approved facilities provided by cold store operators. I have already sent the hon. Member a list of the cold stores approved for this purpose. Each of the transactions is, however, made on a normal commercial basis and is therefore regarded as commercially confidential.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much public money from the United Kingdom and/or EEC sources is involved under the commercial transactions with cold storage operators dealing with beef in intervention.
§ Mr. BishopFrom 1st January to 30th November payments to cold storage operators for dealing with beef sold into intervention in the United Kingdom have amounted to £1.5 million.