§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what levy is paid on imports of (a) Canadian wheat, (b) beef from non-European Economic Community countries and (c) sugar from non-European Economic Community countries; and, in each case, what proportion this is of the landed price.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe information requested is as follows:
(a) Canadian wheat
On 8 April 1981 the levy on Canadian wheat—and all other imports of wheat from non-Community countries—was £48.88 per tonne. For Canadian wheat this represented 31 per cent. of the landed price.(b) Beef from non-Community Countries*
Levies on imports of fresh, chilled and frozen beef into the United Kingdom currently range from £728 per tonne to £1,660 per tonne depending on the type. The landed price also varies according to the origin and presentation of the beef. No general figure can therefore be given for the levy as a proportion of the landed price.(c) Sugar from non-Community Countries†
On 7 April the levy on white sugar was £5.92 per 100kg and on raw sugar £2.96 per 100kg.As United Kingdom imports of sugar subject to levy are infrequent and the landed price in each case is agreed by negotiation between the buyer and seller, a general figure for the levy as a proportion of the landed price cannot be given.
Footnotes:
*A 20 per cent. ad valorem Customs duty is also payable on beef. The majority of imports however benefit from reduced charges under a variety of special concessionary arrangements.
†Under the Lomé convention the Community imports annually approximately 1.3 million tonnes of sugar, for which a price is set within the Community range. There is no levy on this.