§ Mr. Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the products underused when Economic Community surplus food is made available for free distribution to pensioners in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. CurryIn 1988 the United Kingdom's full allocation of produce was taken up under the EC surplus food scheme. All the produce allocated in 1989 had been released from intervention stores and I believe that it will all be used.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in theOfficial Report the types of food, the quantities ordered and the locations of the distribution of all free foodstuffs received from Economic Community states for free distribution to pensioners in the United Kingdom over the past six months.
§ Mr. CurryIn the six months from July to December 1989 some 1,495 tonnes of beef, and 2,000 tonnes of butter were delivered to designated organisations participating in the EC surplus food scheme in the United Kingdom. The distribution arrangements are a matter for those organisations, but they are required to notify officials of their planned distributions. I will supply details of those notified over the last six months as soon as possible.
The hon. Member refers to distribution to pensioners, but pensioners as a group are not eligible. Those eligible to receive produce under the current scheme are people on income support or family credit and those living in welfare hostels or who have no fixed abode. Pensioners falling into one or other of these categories are, of course, eligible.