§ Lord Stanley of Alderleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will reduce the 45-day delay taken by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce to settle accounts, particularly in the case of the meat industry.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)The time period within which goods purchased into intervention must be paid for by the intervention board is set by Commission Regulations relevant to the product concerned. In the case of beef, that period starts on the 45th day after the goods have been taken over and finishes on the 65th day. Until very recently, the payment delay was 120 to 140 days. Neither Her Majesty's Government nor the Commission has any plans to reduce the period still further.