§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what types of food the 250 million ecu of EC food aid to the Soviet Union will consist of; how many tonnes it represents; what is its value in562W pounds sterling; from which EC budget it will be paid; and to which budget of Her Majesty's Government it will be attributed.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 10 June 1991]: The 250 million ecu EC food aid for the Soviet Union is expected to comprise two tranches:
- i) 50,000 tonnes whole milk powder
- 10,000 tonnes baby food
- 15,000 tonnes canned beef
- 5,000 tonnes canned pork
- ii) tomato paste (worth 5 mecu)
- beef (worth 10 mecu)
- pasta (worth 8 mecu)
- whole milk powder (worth 12 mecu)
The second tranche is likely to be worth 35 million ecu but the tonnage this represents remains to be established. At a conversion rate of 1 ecu = £0.7, the total food aid package will total some £175 million and will be funded from the 1990 European agriculture guarantee and guidance fund guarantee section surplus under the 1991 budget. The United Kingdom contribution is not attributed to any Government Department.