§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations Her Majesty's Government has received from the African. Caribbean and Pacific countries as a result of the recent proposals of the EEC Commission for a reduction in beet sugar quotas; and what reply was sent.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithNo such representations have been received.
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§ Mr. Hastingsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reaffirm his commitment to the sugar protocol of the Lomé convention and to the preservation within the United Kingdom of cane sugar refining capacity sufficient to make a reality of the affirmation on access.
§ Mr. WigginThe Government remain firmly committed to the sugar protocol to the Lomé convention, under which the European Economic Community undertakes to import fixed quantities of sugar from specified developing countries for an indefinite period. I expect that the present system whereby the bulk of the sugar covered by the protocol comes to the United Kingdom under contracts between ACP suppliers and United Kingdom refiners will continue.