§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what organisations were licensed to distribute the current issue of European Economic Community surplus produce; what criteria were used to select these organisations; what regulations or advice has been given to those charged with distribution of this food; what quantity is being distributed in England, Wales and in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderMy right hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Mr. Gummer) announced to the House that 127 organisations had been designated to distribute surplus produce to the most needy. A list of those organisations was placed in the Library on that day. To qualify for designation, charitable and non-profit making organisations were required to demonstrate that they could comply with the conditions of the scheme and in particular: (i) that they were capable of arranging for the produce to be withdrawn from intervention stores (preferably in quantities of no less than 1 tonne on any one occasion), to be processed into an appropriate form for final consumption, and to be distributed to the most needy; (ii) that they were capable of carrying out the operations mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) with due safeguards against abuse and against risks to health; (iii) that the quantity of butter and/or beef received under these arrangements would be additional to quantities (if any) which the organisation normally acquires from commercial sources or from concessionary sales; and that such quantities continue to be acquired; (iv) that they would maintain adequate and satisfactory books and records and would undertake to make these available as required to the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce or its agents for verification purposes.
Written instructions on how the scheme should be operated have been issued to all designated organisations. The Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce arranged for a series of seminars for organisations operating the scheme, to be held throughout the United Kingdom. The board provides any additional advice necessary on a daily basis.
The quantities of produce that designated organisations have been authorised to withdraw from intervention stores in 1988 can be broken down as follows:
Organisations based in: Butler Beef (tones) (tones) England 1,677 570 Wales 176 332 Scotland 80 550 Northern Ireland 530 320 Figures are not available for local authority areas.