HC Deb 06 July 1989 vol 156 cc244-5W
Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total amount of wheat, beef and olive oil which is stockpiled (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in the European Economic Community as a whole, in(a) 1989, (b) 1984 and (c) 1979; and what was the total cost of storage and maintaining these for 1988.

Mr. Donald Thompson

The table shows the total amount of wheat, beef and olive oil held in public intervention stores in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the European Community in 1979, 1984 and 1989. EC stocks of beef and wheat reached peak levels of 711 and 11,843 thousand tonnes respectively in 1985. The current levels of EC beef and wheat stocks represent reductions of 53 per cent. and 82 per cent. respectively from the peak levels.

£ million5
EC United Kingdom
Cereals4 440 74
Beef 382 36
Olive Oil 11 0
Total 833 110
1 Includes durum wheat. No intervention for durum wheat in the United Kingdom.
2 End April.
3 End April, except for olive oil in 1984 (end March).
4 Separate breakdown for wheat not available.
5 Expenditure charged to the 1988 budget relates to expenditure during the period November 1987 to October 15 1988.