HC Deb 28 July 1978 vol 954 cc987-91W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what tonnage of refined cane sugar is being sold in the north-west region of England; how this compares with other regions of the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972;

(2) what tonnage of refined British Sugar Corporation's beet sugar is being sold in the north-west region of England; how this compares with other regions in the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972;

(3) what tonnage of imported refined non-EEC sugar is being sold in the northwest region of England; how this compares with other regions of the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures in each year since 1972.

(4) what tonnage of imported refined Danish, Luxembourgeois, Irish, Belgian, Dutch, French, Italian and German sugar, respectively, is being sold in the northwest region of England; how this compares with other regions of the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures in each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

I regret that no information is available on the tonnages or origins

Tonnes
1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78
France 137,000 84,300
West Germany 24,154
Belgium 76,000 3,000
Total 137,000 Nil Nil Nil 184,454 3,000

of sugars sold in particular regions of the United Kingdom.

MR. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current wholesale price per tonne of each of Luxembourgeois, Danish, Irish, Belgian, Dutch, French, Italian and German refined sugar, respectively, imported into the United Kingdom; and what was the comparable price for each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

Sugars imported from elsewhere in the EEC are generally traded under individual contracts at negotiated prices and consequently there are no prevailing wholesale prices for them.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current price per tonne of refined sugar from each of the following countries when sold wholesale on their domestic markets: Denmark, Luxembourg, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany.

Mr. Bishop

I regret the information requested is not available.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much refined cane sugar is currently being stored in each member country of the EEC, and at what cost; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972;

(2) how much refined beet sugar is currently being stored in each member country of the EEC, and at what cost; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

No stocks of sugar are currently being held by intervention authorities in the member countries of the EEC, although 3,000 tonnes of refined beet sugar were accepted into intervention in Belgium earlier in the year and have since been sold by tender for export. Figures for sales of sugar of all types into intervention in earlier years are as follows:

Information on costs is not available on a crop year basis but in the calendar years from 1972 the estimated net cost

Million units of account
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Nil -2.4* Nil Nil 1.064 1.574 Not available
* This amount accruing to the Community Budget reflects receipts from sales of sugar, some of which may have been taken into intervention in previous years.

Such information as is available from the Community on stocks of sugar in private hands does not distinguish between raw and refined sugar or between sugar of beet or cane origin. The cost of storage of sugar by producers, refiners and traders is assisted by Community reimbursements; the reimbursements are financed by a levy on all sugar marketed in the Community. The storage reimbursement and levy scheme originally applied only to sugar of Community origin, whether beet or cane; a special scheme for cane sugar imported under the Lomé sugar protocol and associated arrangements was introduced as from 1st July 1977.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current wholesale price per tonne of refined British Sugar Corporation sugar sold in the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures in each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

The British Sugar Corporation's published wholesale price for refined granulated sugar in 50 kg sacks is currently £264.83 per tonne. Corresponding figures for previous years are:

Pricey at July £/tonne
1972 82.60
1973 100.19
1974 109.74
1975 246.05
1976 223.00
1977 241.38

Note: The prices given for 1972 to 1976 inclusive are converted from the list prices per long ton for 1 cwt. sacks.

AREA SOWN TO SUGAR BEET IN THE MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE EEC
'000 hectares
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977* 1978*
West Germany 331 352 369 426 440 434 413
France 443 511 534 598 612 547 525
Italy 242 235 196 271 305 240 250
Netherlands 113 117 109 137 139 130 133
Belgium 101 104 105 120 96 93 113
Luxembourg
Denmark 95 101 109 127 122 84 81
Irish Republic 34 30 26 33 35 35 36
United Kingdom 190 194 194 197 206 204 209
* Provisional.

to the Community Budget of intervention buying of sugar has been as follows:

Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current wholesale price per tonne of refined cane sugar sold in the United Kingdom; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

The published wholesale price for refined granulated sugar supplied by Tate and Lyle Refineries Ltd.—now the only United Kingdom cane sugar refiners—in 50 kg. sacks is currently £264.85 per tonne. Corresponding figures for previous years are:

Prices at July £/tonne
1972 82.60
1973 100.29
1974 114.14
1975 246.05
1976 224.11
1977 240.40

NOTE: The prices given for 1972 to 1976 inclusive are converted from the list prices per long ton for 1 cwt. sacks.

Mr. John Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the acreage of beet sugar cultivated in each member country of the EEC in the current year; what acreage is expected to be planted next year; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1972.

Mr. Bishop

The areas sown to sugar beet in the member countries of the EEC in the years 1972–1978 are shown in the table below. It is too early to forecast what areas will be sown in 1979.

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