asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state for the United Kingdom and the EEC, respectively, the total amount of beef at present held in intervention; and what is the proportion of these stocks suitable for use in United Kingdom manufacturing and processing.

Less than 3,600 tonnes of United Kingdom intervention beef remain to be sold. At present 265,000 tonnes of beef are held in intervention stores in the EEC as a whole. For animal health reasons only intervention beef originating in the Irish Republic and Denmark may be used in the United Kingdom, in addition to United Kingdom intervention stocks. It is not possible to estimate the proportion suitable for use in manufacturing and processing, but in general beef from steer and heifers of the main breeds in the herds of the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland is not suitable for manufacturing use. Cow beef which would be more suitable is rarely purchased.