HC Deb 03 February 1987 vol 109 cc572-3W
Sir Anthony Grant

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the operation of the co-responsibility levy in the United Kingdom; what proportion of the levy has been deducted by merchants from growers; and how much has been collected by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce to date.

Mr. Gummer

The levy is payable on all grain that is bought into intervention, exported to non-community countries or which undergoes processing, except that processed by a producer on his holding for use as animal feed on that holding.

The EC regulations require that the levy be passed back to the cereals producer and shown in the documentation relating to each transaction through the marketing chain. How this is done is for the participants to individual transactions to agree. Information on the proportion deducted by merchants from growers is not available.

Up to 31 December 1986 the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce had collected £6.95 million.