§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if any record is kept of the meat which is exported from the EEC with subsidy and then returns to the United Kingdom for domestic consumption. and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonExport refunds are available for beef, pigmeat and poultry and are paid only when proof is provided that the meat has been cleared through Customs for consumption in the country of destination.
Refunds are not generally payable for destinations which are significant exporters of beef to the Community. In 1986 when Brazil was suffering a meat shortage the Commission arranged tender sales of intervention beef to Brazil. A condition of these sales was that the beef should be imported by a Government agency, Interbras, and the Brazilian authorities gave an undertaking that the beef would be consumed there.
To ensure that exports of poultrymeat are not returned to the Community export refunds are related to the basic levies charged on all third country imports. The Community is not a significant importer of pigmeat.