§ 37. Mr. Brothertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement about his plans for the British sugar beet industry.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe British sugar beet industry is efficient and has an important part to play in meeting the United Kingdom demand for sugar. The primary consideration at the moment is securing a sound EEC sugar regime which will reduce the Community surplus but which will not discriminate against the United Kingdom industry in the allocation of quotas.
§ 44. Mr. Whitlockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the restrictions placed upon sugar beet production in the United Kingdom by EEC regulations; and what further restrictions are being considered.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithCurrent European Community regulations place no physical restriction upon sugar beet production in the United Kingdom, and none is envisaged in the Commission's proposals for the post 1980 sugar regime. However, the amount of sugar eligible for Community price support is limited by production quotas; levels of quotas to operate678W from 1980–81 onwards are under discussion at present.