HC Deb 07 May 1986 vol 97 cc114-5W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing such information as is available to him for Spain and Portugal relating to the average price paid for basic foodstuffs imported from (a) the United States of America and (b) the European Economic Community in 1985 compared with the price paid for United Kingdom imports from the European Economic Community.

Mr. Alan Clark

The available information is in the table. These countries import different types of food both in total and from each of the sources. Given the wide range of foodstuffs prices, averages of differing mixtures are likely to show substantial differences.

Average price of imported foodstuffs*
£'tonne
Imports into
Spain Portugal United Kingdom
Imports from USA
1984 120 120
1985 n.a. 110
European Community
1984 420 340 510
1985 n.a. 270 490
*Taken as Standard International Trade Classification Section ().
Membership prior to accession of Spain and Portugal.
n.a. = not readily available.