§ 19. Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the present food surpluses of the European Economic Community and the cost of storage of these items to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. GummerA note setting out the volume of United Kingdom and Community intervention stocks, including those of foodstuffs, on the latest available dates is deposited in the Library of the House and is updated monthly.
The storage, handling and related technical costs of intervention products in the United Kingdom (including barley and feedwheat) in 1984 were £46.4 million. The net cost to the United Kingdom was £18.5 million. The United Kingdom contribution to the cost of storage, handling and related technical costs of intervention products in other member states was £61.5 million.
§ Mr. Thurnhamasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has made to the European Commission about stocks of surplus food.
§ Mr. GummerThe Government press the Community at every opportunity to tackle the underlying problem of surplus production by reducing the effective support levels.