HC Deb 25 April 1984 vol 58 cc533-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the level of support prices for agricultural commodities in terms of local currency in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, respectively;

(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table comparing the level of guaranteed prices in the EEC and the United States of America, respectively, for agricultural products in amplification of the statement made in paragraph 12(iii) of the 1983 report on the agricultural situation in the community.

Mr. MacGregor

A table showing, for the main commodities covered by the common agricultural policy, the common support levels obtaining in the United Kingdom and the European Community was appended to press notice No. 111 issued by my Department on 2 April 1984. Further details will be given in a note by my Department which will be deposited shortly in the Library of the House.

Comprehensive comparisons with the support arrangements for agricultural products in the United States are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing United Kingdom imports of the principal agricultural commodities from non-European Economic Community countries in terms of volume per head compared with imports into the United States of America and the European Economic Community as a whole.

Mr. MacGregor

The information requested is set out in the following table.

United Kingdom and European Community Imports from Third Countries and United States Total Imports expressed in Kilograms per head of Total Population—1982
United Kingdom EC10 United States
Wheat 24.9 16.3 0.2
Barley * 1.8 0.9
Maize 24.3 26.6 0.1
Rice 0.7 3.3 *
Malt 0.2 0.1 0.2
Butter 1.8 0.4 *
Cheese 0.3 0.4 0.5
Milk powder * * *
Beef 0.8 0.7 2.7
Pork * 0.3 0.5
Poultrymeat * 0.2
Eggs * * *
Sheepmeat 3.9 0.9 *
Wine 2.4 2.0 1.9
Sugar 17.7 5.0 10.2
Tobacco 2.1 0.6 0.7
Coffee 1.5 5.3 4.6
Tea 3.5 1.0 0.4
Cocoa beans 1.9 2.2 0.9
Soya beans 9.2 44.5 *
Sunflower seeds * 2.2 0.1

Notes: * Less than 0.1 kg/head Sources: Eurostat (EC10): Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom; FAO Trade Yearbook (for United States); Populations: United Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics.