§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what instructions are currently in force for the turnover of intervention stocks, and particularly of meat and dairy produce, so as to minimise the risks of deterioration; what quantities of foodstuffs, commodity by commodity, have been released from intervention and disposed of solely in order to avoid deterioration in the period since Great Britain's affiliation to the Common Market which would otherwise not have been disposed of; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopCommodities in intervention are sold under conditions laid down in EEC regulations which normally operate on the basis of disposal of the oldest stocks first.
Apart from the sale of 140 tonnes of skimmed milk powder after the bags concerned had been opened for sampling and testing, special arrangements for disposing of intervention stocks because of the potential risk of deterioration have been necessary on only one occasion. It was agreed in 1975 that priority should be given to the sale of 18,260 tonnes of skimmed milk powder because the quality of its packaging was not of the normal specified standard.
§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value and quantity of common agricultural policy intervention food stocks, commodity by commodity, held in the United Kingdom that have been declared unfit for human consumption as a result of deterioration whilst in storage within the period since the affiliation of the United Kingdom to the Common Market.
§ Mr. BishopNone except for 3.6 tonnes of beef valued at £4,520 which was found to be unfit for human consumption after release from store. This was not necessarily due to deterioration in storage.
§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the 150W total quantities and values, commodity by commodity, of the intervention stocks currently held in the United Kingdom under the provisions of the common agricultural policy.
§ Mr. Bishop9,877 tonnes of beef valued at approximately £13,000,000, 9,450 tonnes of butter valued at approximately £10,950,000 and 62,686 tonnes of skimmed milk powder valued at £34,090,000 were held by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce on 31st October 1977. According to the most recent information provided by the Republic of Ireland, I understand that approximately 16,350 tonnes of intervention beef is currently stored in the United Kingdom by the Republic.