§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
For the latest full year for which statistics are available, what is the maximum amount of milk which is allowed to be produced from British herds under the common agriculture policy; what is the consumption of milk and dairy products in Britain; and how is the difference between British production and British consumption made up. [HL3644]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)Milk production in the UK, as in other EU member states, is constrained by the milk quota system. The UK's quota allocation in the 1998–99 quota year was 14.590 million tonnes before additional levies became payable. Actual production for the same period was 14.625 million tonnes.
In the calendar year 1999, the total milk available for use in the manufacture of drinking milk and milk products was 14.662 million tonnes in milk equivalent terms. Production of milk and milk products in the UK comprises products made from both domestically produced and imported milk.
143WAThe utilisation of milk for liquid consumption in 1999 is forecast at 7,111 thousand tonnes, 48.5 per cent of which was home produced. The position for other products is more complicated as they are more
Supply of milk products in the United Kingdom in 1999 '000 tonnes Butter Cheese Cream Condensed Milk Full cream powder Skimmed milk powder Production 141 368 275 177 102 102 Imports 113 277 9 14 10 14 Exports 56 61 86 52 92 59 Total new supply 199 584 199 139 20 57 Change in stock 11 1 — 1 0 -11 Total domestic use 188 584 199 138 20 68