HC Deb 07 March 1985 vol 74 cc563-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1970, 1979, 1983 and 1984, respectively, the production, imports, exports and apparent consumption of field beans, the average prices in each case and the subsidy to United Kingdom production from public funds.

Mr. MacGregor

The figures available for field beans in the United Kingdom are as follows:

('000 tonnes)
1970 1979 1983 1984
Production 160 128 105.1 125.7
Imports n/a 0.1 0.1 0.1
Exports n/a 98.6 20.8 18.1
Total new supply n/a 29.5 84.4 107.7
Minimum producer price (for EC crop year, £ per tonne) — 132.85 180.59 178.79
UK acreage grant (£ million) 1.1 — — —

1970 1979 1983 1984
EC subsidies for animal feed and human consumption (estimate) (£ million) — — 4.4 5.2
EC subsidy on field beans certified for sowing (£ million) — 0.8 0.3 0.2
n/a Not available.

Note: Because separate figures for beans are not available, it has been assumed that roughly 40 per cent. of expenditure on the peas and field beans schemes for animal feed and human consumption relates to beans.

Sources: UK Census, Customs trade figures, MAFF Statistical Information, Supply Estimates, Intervention Board.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decisions have been taken by the European Economic Community under the common agricultural policy about support for peas and field beans, soya and lupin seeds in the past 12 months; and what are the financial implications.

Mr. MacGregor

In March 1984 the Agriculture Council reduced the minimum and activating prices for peas and beans by 1 per cent., saving about 1.8 mecu; made permanent the human consumption peas and beans scheme and reduced the guide price by 1 per cent. saving 0.3 mecu; raised the minimum and guide prices for soya by 1.5 per cent., costing 1.1 mecu; and introduced an aid scheme for the incorporation of lupins in animal feed, costing 2 mecu. (All figures are based on Commission estimates of full year effects.)