HC Deb 20 May 1977 vol 932 cc301-2W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the recent negotiations between the EEC and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries about the minimum price guaranteed for African, Caribbean and Pacific sugar under the sugar protocol to the Lomé Convention.

Mr. John Silkin

At its meeting on 16th-17th May the Council of Agriculture Ministers endorsed the settlement which had been negotiated the previous week on its behalf by the Commission with the ACP countries. In these negotiations agreement was reached on a guaranteed price of 27.25 ua/100 Kg. for raw sugar and 33.83 ua/100 Kg. for white sugar which will apply for the period from 1st May 1977 to 30th June 1978. In my view, this is a good settlement, which strikes a fair balance between the interests of the ACP suppliers, Community producers of raw sugar and the United Kingdom cane refiners.