HC Deb 22 June 1978 vol 952 cc256-7W
26. Mr. Marten

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is now the total sum, expressed in £ sterling, which it is estimated will be spent by the EEC in 1978 on disposing of food surpluses by export refunds, subsidised sales and any other means.

Mr. Bishop

The 1978 EEC budget adopted last December estimated the total sum to be spent in 1978 on export refunds, subsidised sales and other disposal methods at 5,038 million European units of account, which is equivalent to £3,293 million. This figure includes export refunds on foods produced for export as well as on food surpluses.

33. Mr. Spearing

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount, in £ sterling equivalent, was expended by the EEC in subsidising or disposing of food surpluses in 1977; and on what products the principal sums of expenditure were made.

Mr. Bishop

The total amount spent by the EEC in 1977 on export refunds, subsidised sales and other methods of disposal was £1,345.5 million—conversion made at the budget unit of account rate of 2.4 ua=£1 applicable in 1977. The principal expenditure was on milk products, sugar and cereals, including rice. The figures are provisional and are drawn from an EEC Commission working document giving the position as known at 31st March 1978.

All expenditure on export refunds is included in the total, but, as the refund system is of general application, refunds are payable on foods which are produced to meet known export demands as well as on food surpluses. Intervention costs are excluded except where it is possible to identify specific disposal costs; in those cases they are included as subsidised sales.