Food Surpluses

HC Deb 16 February 1988 vol 127 cc587-8W

Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the cost to(a) the European Economic Community and (b) the United Kingdom of storing and exporting food surpluses produced in the United Kingdom.

Mr. MacGregor

[holding answer 15 February 1988]: All the costs of operations in the United Kingdom under the CAP are ultimately borne by the United Kingdom, either directly or via our contribution to the EC budget. In 1986–87 the costs of storing and exporting surplus commodities (beef, cereals, milk products, sugar) produced in the United Kingdom were:

	£ million
Storage	129
Stock financing (notional)	77
Stock depreciation	45

	£ million
Loss on sale	444
Export refunds (net of MCAs)	185
Total	880

A total of £813 million was transferred from the EC budget to the United Kingdom in respect of these operations.

During this period £406 million was spent by the Intervention Board on buying stock into intervention and £270 million was received for sales out of intervention.