HC Deb 27 June 1980 vol 987 cc352-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the latest retail price of bread, beef, lamb, bacon, butter, cheese and sugar as a percentage of the retail price in January 1962 and the amount of the subsidy, if any; and how this compares with the increase in retail prices, excluding foodstuffs, over the same period.

Mr. Wiggin

The figures are as follows:

Percentage change between January 1962 and May 1980
Bread(white, wrapped and sliced) +516
Beef(home killed, chuck) +572
Lamb(home killed, leg with bone) +607
Bacon(back) +457
Butter(Danish) +399
Cheese(Cheddar type) +571
Sugar(granulated) +379
All items except food +389

Source: Department of Employment.

There is currently a subsidy of 14.2p per 500 grams on butter.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the latest agreed common agricultural policy price for wheat, barley, maize, beef, lamb, bacon, butter, cheese and sugar as a percentage of (a) the open market price and (b) the guaranteed price in January 1962, together with the corresponding figures for the percentage increase in the retail price of motor fuel and of other fuels and light.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The nearest available information is shown in the following table. Since January 1962 the percentage increases in the retail price of motor fuel and other fuel and light are 463 and 467 respectively to May 1980.

Common prices as percentage of
United Kingdom guaranteed prices January 1962(a) Latest agreed common prices in sterling terms converted at £1=1.61641 ecu £/tonne "World" Prices June 1980 (b) £/tonne United Kingdom guaranteed prices in January 1962 Per cent. World prices in June 1980 Per cent.
Actual s/d Metric equivalent£/tonne
Common Wheat 26/11per cwt. 26.57 96.44(c) 72 363 122(c)
Barley 27/7 per cwt. 27.16 96.44(c) 66 355 133(c)
Maize None — 96.44(c) 62 N.A. 141(c)
Beef (liveweight) 167/- per live cwt. 164.36 895.10 520 545 172
Lamb (ecdw) 3/3 per lb. 358.25 1,814.51(d) 1,090(e) 506 166
Bacon None — —(f) N.A.(f) — —
Butter None — 1,804.00 867(g) N.A. 208
Cheddar Cheese None — 1,528.50(h) 557 N.A. 274
Sugar Beet 128/-per ton 6.30 275.20(i) 351(j) N.A. 75(i)

Notes:

  1. (a)"Annual Review and Determination of Guarantees 1961".
  2. (b)Unless otherwise stated the "world" prices are the third country offer prices implied by the EC Commission's calculations of common import levies on 18 June 1980. Converted at £1 = 1.63524 ecu.
  3. (c)Price for August 1980, but this is higher than the June level of £87.67 per tonne which is the one used in the comparison with the world price in the last column.
  4. (d)United Kingdom guide price for variable premium under proposed regime.
  5. (e) United Kingdom wholesale price for New Zealand lamb minus duty.
  6. (f)No effective support price for bacon under the CAP; also no meaningful world price.
  7. (g)New Zealand cif price minus the MCA.
  8. (h)A notional intervention price for cheddar cheese, has been calculated to reflect the amount on which MCAs are charged.
  9. (i)Price for July 1980; the common price for June 1980 of £261.69 per tonne was used for comparison with the world price.

(j)Third country offer price implied by the Commission's calculation of export levy on refined white sugar. The London Daily Price can also be used as an indicator of world prices; on 18 June this price was £315 per tonne and common prices were 83 per cent. of it.