§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal if it will still be possible for the European Economic Community to honour the agreement between underdeveloped countries and the Community on the importation and refining of 1.3 million tonnes of cane sugar in the light of recent decisions on the closure of sugar cane refineries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Ian GilmourYes. The Community's commitment, embodied in the sugar protocol to the Loméconvention, is to purchase and import at guaranteed prices specific quantities of cane sugar from those states and territories listed in that protocol. That commitment is unaffected by any decisions on the closure of sugar refineries.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal, what representations about the importation of cane sugar he has received from underdeveloped nations covered by the Loméconventions.
§ Sir Ian GilmourThe Government are in regular contact wih all the developing countries which are signatories of the Loméconvention. We have particularly close links with those who are members of the Commonwealth, many of whom export sugar to the Community under the sugar protocol to that convention. The Government have consistently made clear that the United Kingdom is committed to ensuring that the Community's undertakings to those sugar producers are fulfilled.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal if the European Economic Community is fully bound by the special protocol under the Lomé convention on the importation of cane sugar; or if the agreement is subject to refinery capacity being available within the European Economic Community.
299W
§ Sir Ian GilmourThe Community's commitment under the sugar protocol to the Lomé convention to purchase and import cane sugar from the territories listed in that protocol is not subject to the availability of refinery capacity in the Community.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in the event of over-production of beet causing closures of cane sugar refineries, he is satisfied that the special protocol under the Loméconvention on cane sugar imports can be fulfilled; whether Her Majesty's Government have taken any action in this regard; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Ian GilmourThe Community's commitment to purchase and import speciic quantities of cane sugar is not qualified by any reference to the level of production of beet sugar within the Community the reduction of refining capacity announced on 22 January has been attributed by the company concerned to a number of factors. The Government remain committed to ensuring that the Community's obligations to the ACP sugar exporters are fulfilled.