HC Deb 14 January 1980 vol 976 cc678-9W
Mr. Leighton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing by how much the price of each of the common agricultural policy commodities will be increased in terms of pence per pound as a result of the recent devaluation of the green pound, and by how much prices in the shops in clearly identifiable cases are likely to rise after (a) six months and (b) one year.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

My estimates of the effects on first hand prices for the main CAP commodities and the related retail prices, after allowing for wastage between the two stages, are close to the retail price estimates given by my predecessor on 21 February in the answer to a question from the then hon. Member for Southampton, Test. I would expect most of the effects to have worked through in full by the end of six months. But the effect on bread will not come through for about one year; and for beef the effects will take even longer.

Mr. Leighton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for each common agricultural policy commodity the tonnage and total farmgate or landed value of the amount supplied to the United Kingdom market in 1978 and the estimate for 1979, the total value of, respectively, food, drink and tobacco sold retail in the United Kingdom in 1978 and the estimate for 1979 and whether the ratio between input and output prices thus defined has changed significantly in the past 20 years: and, if so, by how much.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The 1978 volume of supplies to the United Kingdom market of common agricultural policy commodities is given in column 2 of the reply given today to another question by the hon. Member. The value of consumers' expenditure on food, drink

(Tonnes
UNITED KINGDOM TRADE WITH REST OF EEC IN MAIN CAP COMMODITIES
TABLE 1
1978
Imports Exports
Live Cattle (other than for breeding) 154,586 63,381
Beef and Veal 238,621 92,635
Pork 28,827 12,030
Bacon and Ham 228,781 1,800
Butter 172,479 49,156
Cheese 97,348 8,176
Wheat 1,289,312 259,646
Rice 71,939 82,365
Barley 294,728 1,019,091
Maize 814,959 25,999
Apples(fresh) 239,708 18,668
Sugar(refined) 216,548 2,734
Eggs(in shell) 3,331 24,446
Poultrymeat 17,608 12,778
TABLE 2
1979(January—October)
Imports Exports
Live Cattle (other than for breeding) 63,829 70,688
Beef and Veal 188,169 70,564
Pork 26,257 14,802
Bacon and Ham 243,865 1,262
Butter 108,995 41,240
Cheese 109,548 5,713
Wheat 672,962 87,483
Rice 76,281 51,346
Barley 184,890 353,305
Maize 764,090 18,353
Apples(fresh) 228,639 15,581
Sugar(refined) 133,849 1,420
Eggs(in shell) 13,948 26,877
Poultrymeat 26,362 6,658