HC Deb 11 January 1978 vol 941 cc738-9W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement describing the changes made from 1st January 1978 in the methods used by the Milk Marketing Board to determine the retail and wholesale prices of bottled and bulk liquid milk and other milk products; and what powers he retains in these respects.

Mr. Bishop

The Board does not determine retail prices. Wholesale prices for manufacturing milk will continue to be negotiated directly with the dairy trade under the provisions of the Milk Marketing Scheme, and this arrangement has been extended since 1st January to include milk for liquid consumption for which wholesale prices were previously set by Ministers as part of the guarantee system. The Government retain the power to prescribe maximum retail prices for liquid milk and, in accordance with the arrangements my right hon. Friend announced on 28th July 1977 in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Durham

All prices in £/100 kg
Item and CCT No. Common Levy MCA Net Import Levy
Common wheat (10.01A) … … … … 6.70 2.5135 4.19
Barley (10.03) … … … … … … 5.88 2.2257 3.65
Maize (10.05B) … … … … … … 5.80 2.1880 3.61
White sugar (17.01A) … … … … … 19.29 6.4140 12.88
Butter 82–84 per cent. fat content (04.03A)* … … 150.44 44.8520 105.59
Cheddar cheese (04.04E1b1bb)* … … … … 131.29 35.3560 95.93
Skimmed milk powder (04.02AIIb1) … … … 67.71 18.2730 49.44
Boneless frozen meat (02.01AIIb4bb33) … … 144.26 38.9840 105.28
Lard (15.01AII) … … … … … … 9.60 6.0610 3.54
Pigmeat carcases (02.01AIIIa1) … … … … 30.00 18.9400 11.06
Salted bacon sides (02.06BIa2aa) … … … 40.49 25.5690 14.92
Eggs (04.05AIb)† … … … … … … 34.89 5.6250 29.27
Poultrymeat 70 per cent chickens (02.02AIb)‡ … 18.16 4.8060 13.35
* There are special rates for New Zealand butter and cheese.
† Includes a supplementary levy of £15.62/100 kg (applicable on imports from certain countries of origin). Regulations provide for supplementary levies to operate in this sector when average free-atfrontier offer prices fall below sluicegate prices.
‡ Does not include supplementary levy (of £11.71/100 kg) which at present applies to imports from Spain only.