HL Deb 29 March 1993 vol 544 c34WA
Lord Stanley of Alderley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What stocks of beef are now held in European Community intervention stores compared with one year ago, whether sales out of intervention are expected to exceed purchases and whether these figures are similar in the United Kingdom to the rest of the European Community.

Earl Howe

Stocks of beef in the European Community as at 31st January 1993 were 1,072,905 tonnes (carcase weight equivalent) compared with 836,596 tonnes one year ago. The Commission is currently forecasting that for the 1993/4 year purchases will exceed sales in the Community by some 180,000 tonnes. It is estimated that in the same period United Kingdom purchases will exceed sales by 1,800 tonnes.