HL Deb 08 July 1976 vol 372 cc1374-6WA
Lord O'HAGAN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How far

  1. (a)the EEC
  2. (b)the United Kingdom

are self-sufficient in

  1. (1)fertilizers (phosphates, etc.);
  2. (2)fishmeal;
  3. (3)animal feedstock;
  4. (4)other agricultural inputs.

Lord STRABOLGI

: Estimates of the proportions of self-sufficiency for agricultural inputs in 1974 are as follows:

United Kingdom per cent. EEC per cent.
Fertilisers
Nitrogen 81 Largely self-sufficient
Potash 4 Small surplus
Phosphate 11 Similar to United Kingdom
Fishmeal 21 About 50 per cent.
Animal Feedstock* 68 Similar to United Kingdom
*including fishmeal.

It is expected that, with the development of resources in North Yorkshire, the United Kingdom will soon become self-sufficient in potash and some may be available for export. There are no exploitable deposits of phosphate rock in the United Kingdom and only small deposits in other EEC countries. Some phosphate is available in the United Kingdom as a by-product of steel production. It is not possible to give estimates for other agricultural inputs.

House adjourned at half-past six o'clock.