Lord CHELWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether and in what ways they tried to influence the other European Community Governments to carry out their promises not to undermine the United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union following the occupation of Afghanistan, with what success, and why and by how much shipments of grain by the EEC to the Soviet Union in the 12 months ended 30th June 1980 exceeded shipments in comparable recent previous periods.
Viscount LONGThe United Kingdom was one of the main proponents of the Community's decision not to replace grain and other agricultural products which the United States embargo would deny to the Soviet Union.
On 10th January 1980 the Commission proposed to the Cereals Management Committee the exclusion of the Soviet Union from the list of countries eligible for export refunds on wheat and barley. This exclusion took effect from 16th January. It was however possible for exports to the Soviet Union to continue to benefit from refunds for a limited period under licences issued before that date. Commission estimates of the quantities of grain exported to the Soviet Union in recent years are shown below. Figures for the 1979–80 marketing year are available only to the end of April 1980, and figures for previous years are given for full marketing years: 1778WA
The Government remain of the view that all subsidised food exports to the Soviet Union should be ended.
Marketing year (Aug-July) Wheat(tonnes) Barley(tonnes) 1976–77 nil 45,000 1977–78 nil 406,000 1978–79 5,000 213,000 1979–80 (Aug-April only) 516,000 209,000