HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 c782W
Mr. Home Robertson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the tonnage and value of cereals which have been exported to famine areas from Great Britain during the past year; and what proportion of those exports was provided by (a) the national aid programme, (b) voluntary and charitable aid and (c) aid from the European Economic Community.

Mr. Raison

My Department does not keep records of the amounts of cereals provided to famine areas as food aid by voluntary and charitable organisations, nor of commercial exports. The tonnages and value of cereals procured in Britain as food aid for famine areas under the British bilateral aid programme and by the European Community are as follows:

Procurement in United Kingdom: October 1984—July 1985
Quantity (Tonnes) Approximate value
(Wheat equivalent) f.o.b. (£ million)
United Kingdom 52,300 5.6
European Community 11,820 1.5

As well as the quantities of food aid procured in the United Kingdom under the bilateral aid programme, 74,500 tonnes of cereals (wheat equivalent) have been purchased for the same areas from other sources at a cost of £9.7 million.