§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much reduced-price European Economic Community butter has been sold to the following non-profit-making institutions under the provisions of European Community regulation 2191/81:(a) registered charities (excluding private educational establishments), (b) old people's homes, (c) state-maintained schools, (d) independent, non-maintained. private schools and (e) others.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIn 1987, a total of 36,942 tonnes of reduced-price butter was sold to non-profit-making organisations in the European Community, of which 5,076 tonnes was sold in the United Kingdom. In 1988, a further 5,414 tonnes was sold to institutions in the United Kingdom. The additional information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of butter has been sold from European Economic Community private and public storage over the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what has been the reduction in stockpiles in private and public storage during this period.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIn the period 1 November 1987 to 31 October 1988, 887,105 tonnes of butter were sold from public intervention storage, and public stocks fell from 1,007,620 tonnes to 162,928 tonnes.
So far as private stocks are concerned, aid is paid for a maximum period of 180 days, and butter for which the aid is paid in any year must be brought back on to the market no later than 31 March the following year. There is therefore no long-term stockpile of butter in aided private storage. Figures are collected only for those butter stocks on which the Community pays private storage aid. During 1988, some 264,000 tonnes of butter received this aid, of which 211,994 tonnes remained in store at 31 October 1988.