HC Deb 20 October 1989 vol 158 cc282-4W
Mr. Madden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name all organisations which have distributed butter, released from EEC stores, in Bradford in the last two years; and what representations he has received concerning the fairness and efficiency of the distribution of butter.

Mr. MacLean

A list of the organisations originally designed to participate in the scheme was placed in the Library of the House on 21 April 1988. Of these the following are based in Bradford:

  • Islamic Missionary College
  • Blenheim Mosque
  • Jamiyat Tabligh UI Islam
  • Suffa Tul Islam
  • Bierley Community Centre

Over the two years during which the scheme has been operating, we have received a number of representations about it. Most of these have been about the uneven availability of produce, the exclusion of pensioners as a group from the scheme and the allocation of produce to ethnic minority groups.

Mr. Madden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps when butter or meat is next released from EEC stores for distribution free within the United Kingdom to ensure that wide publicity is given in advance of distribution giving information about entitlement to receive butter and meat; and if he will also ensure that distribution arrangements are widely publicised to ensure maximum take-up by those entitled to receive butter and meat.

Mr. MacLean

The arrangements for publicising local distributions of surplus produce is a matter for the participating organisations concerned to determine in the light of their knowledge of local needs. Given that the produce available is being fully utilised I have no reason to believe that the current arrangements are inadequate.

Mr. Madden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when butter and meat will next be released from EEC stores for distribution free within the United Kingdom; who will be eligible to receive butter and meat; and what arrangements he will make to ensure such distribution is conducted fairly and efficiently(a) in Bradford and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Maclean

The release of produce from stores and its distribution to eligible recipients has been, and will continue to be, timed to accord with the arrangements made by the organisations operating the scheme. These arrangements will continue until the current scheme runs out. Beyond that, the Commission has made no proposals for a scheme in 1990, but intervention stocks have been much reduced, and the Commission is to review the arrangements next year.

Those eligible to receive produce under the current scheme will continue to be the most needy in our community, that is, those on income support or family credit and those living in welfare hostels or who have no fixed abode.

When this scheme was set up, it was decided that the produce would be distributed by voluntary organisations who wished, and had the expertise and facilities, to do so. Designated organisations have clear instructions about eligibility and procedures for distribution. Staff of the agricultural department monitor distributions to ensure that they are conducted in accordance with the rules. The voluntary nature of the scheme makes it impossible to ensure an even geographical distribution of the produce.