§ Sir Hector MonroTo ask the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet. completed his consideration of the implications of the European Community free food scheme; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe scheme provides for member states to make available to designated organisations food from intervention stores for distribution to the most needy. The Government continue to believe that such a scheme is an inappropriate way of dealing with the 199W surpluses, but do not wish to deprive these United Kingdom citizens of having the possibility of arrangements available to consumers in the Community as a whole.
The Government have therefore considered how the scheme could be applied in this country. We have decided to make butter and beef available, subject to Commission authorisation, in response to specific applications received from charitable or non-profit-making organisations which meet appropriate conditions. Quantities made available would be limited to amounts specifically authorised by the European Commission within the finance available. The Commission has said that up to about £10 million worth of product could be authorised for distribution in the United Kingdom in 1988. I am arranging for further details of the arrangements to be sent today to the relevant representative bodies, and I am placing a copy of this information in the Library.