Mr. Mark Hughesasked the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is satisfied that beef exported with refunds is not then transferred to other markets;
(2) further to his answer, Official Report, 30 June, column 454, what response he has had to his request to the Commission for an investigation into allegations that intervention beef sold to Romania has been re-exported to the Union Soviet Socialist Republics; and whether Her Majesty's Government are able to demand safeguards against such resales, in view of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithOn 12 February the Commission introduced special monitoring arrangements for applications for export refunds on beef. With effect from 21 June the Commission abolished refunds for beef exported to the USSR. It does not consider that the allegations concerning beef exported to Romania justify 701W further action, but the special arrangements will continue so that trade levels can be monitored on a continuous basis. We are not satisfied with this and have written to Vice-President Gundelach asking him to examine the allegations and to take appropriate action.