§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is able to give an assessment of the benefits gained for the British consumer from the 23W agricultural policies which have been pursued as a result of United Kingdom entry to the EEC.
§ Mr. BishopI cannot provide an overall assessment, because there is no way of knowing how prices for imported and home produced food would have moved if we had not joined the EEC. For particular details of the merits which the Government's agricultural policies have brought to the consumer I would refer the hon. Member to the many references made by my right hon. Friend on this subject, for example those in his report to the House on the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) on 25th–26th April.—[Vol. 930, c. 1234–53.1
Commodity White Paper Table No. Production 1974–75 1976–77 forecast Percentage change Beef and veal 14 Thousand tonnes … 1,165 1,038 -11 Mutton and lamb 14 Thousand tonnes … 252 252 — Pigmeat 14 Thousand tonnes … 902 811 -10 Poultrymeat 14 Thousand tonnes … 622 675 +8½ Eggs 17 Million dozen … 1,138 1,126 -1 Milk (output for human consumption) 15 Million litres … 13,364 13,817 +3½ Butter 16 Thousand tonnes … 51 82 +61 Cheese 16 Thousand tonnes … 225 221 -2 Wheat 7 Thousand tonnes … 6,130 4,800 -21½ Barley 7 Thousand tonnes … 9,133 7,760 -15 Potatoes 9 Thousand tonnes … 6,791 4,596 -32½