§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value and weight of perishable foodstuffs currently stored as intervention surpluses, commodity by commodity; and what instructions are at present in force for the disposal of such surpluses as quantities of particular foodstuffs approach deterioration.
§ Mr. Bishop:Subject to final verification, 14,056 tonnes of beef valued at £ 21,976,000, 26,782 tonnes of butter valued at £ 39,061,000, 69,084 tonnes of skimmed milk powder valued at £ 41,964,000 and 20,943 tonnes of barley valued at £ 1,673,000 were held in store by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce on 17th November 1978.
Commodities in intervention are sold under conditions laid down in EEC regulations which normally operate on the basis of disposal of oldest stocks first avoiding any need for standing arrangements for disposing of stocks because of risk of deterioration.