§ Mrs. Jegerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what limitations are imposed on the import of canned meat from Australia and on the import of meat from Australia for canning in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. BishopCanned meat from Australia may be imported into the United Kingdom free of quantity restriction, subject toad valorem customs duties and to the normal controls applied to safeguard public health in relation to imported foods from whatever source. Fresh or frozen meat imported from Australia for processing is similarly subject to Customs duties and health controls. For beef there is also a variable levy. However, EEC arrangements for the beef sector include two special quotas
Beef Butter Skimmed milk powder July 1976 July 1977 July 1976 July 1977 July 1976 July 1977 Belgium … 8,200 600 6,918 4,137 122,053 49,970 Denmark … 43,400 48,200 9,739 11,814 54,150 35,941 France … 52,700 16,900 88,176 21,616 429,313 189,206 Germany … 95,400 101,000 91,202 118,800 553,009 637,495 Ireland … 25,000 46,500 — — 73,754 — Italy … 19,200 58,800 — — — — Luxembourg … — — 901 1,776 10,786 8,289 Netherlands … 2,900 17,400 9,404 23,802 99,383 28,332 United Kingdom … 13,900 6,100 4,296 6,220 34,821 21,232 Total … 260,700 295,500 210,636 188,165 1,377,269 970,465 Source: EEC Commission. Member States are reimbursed by the Commission for the cost of holding intervention stocks at standard rates. It is estimated that the amount the Community would pay for holding the present stocks for a year would be in the order of 67 million units of account or some £28 million converted at the Community budget rate of 2.4 ua = £1 sterling.