§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the price difference between those operating in the market and those set for the social institutional buying of beef if the United Kingdom took advantage of the possibilities under EEC regulation 2374/79; and what the cost would be to the United Kingdom Government and the EEC.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe wholesale price difference would be about £1,200 per tonne. The full cost of operating a social beef scheme would depend on its uptake.
§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what trials have been made of the purchasing of beef by social institutions in the United Kingdom; and what assessment was made of the result.
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§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithA pilot social beef scheme was operated in the United Kingdom in 1978, when 1,000 tonnes of intervention stocks of boneless beef were put on offer to social institutions. The hospitals made greater use of the scheme than did local authority institutions. To a large extent, the beef bought by the social institutions under this scheme replaced normal purchases of meat and other products. The net extra sales were therfore small. In contrast the costs of the scheme, including administration, were extremely large.
§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields on 13 April, Official Report, c. 27, whether it would be possible to allow schools and hospitals to purchase beef at greatly reduced prices under EEC regulation No. 2374/79 as well as operating the variable beef scheme.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithYes, it would be possible.