To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet decided on the arrangements to implement the European Community scheme for distribution of surplus food to the most needy.
On 12 January, my right hon. Friend announced the form of the United Kingdom's participation in the European Community surplus food scheme. The deadline for applications from organisations wishing to participate was 29 February, and the Commission confirmed on 12 April its allocation of £.10·4 million (15 million ECUs) to the United Kingdom for 1988. Applications for butter and beef were received from a wide range of organisations, especially from charities. The Government have carefully considered these applications
| Member state | Financial limit (MECUs) | Maximum quantities which may be drawn from intervention stores subject for each member state to the overriding financial limit stated |
| Belgium | 1·28 | 225 tonnes of soft wheat |
| 160 tonnes of butter | ||
| 148 tonnes of beef | ||
| Denmark | 0·10 | 5 tonnes of butter |
| 20 tonnes of beef | ||
| Germany | 7·30 | 2,331 tonnes of butter |
| Greece | 1·90 | 700 tonnes of beef |
| Spain | 20·10 | 2,200 tonnes of durum wheat |
| 1,000 tonnes of butter | ||
| 4,600 tonnes of beef | ||
| 1,340 tonnes of olive oil | ||
| France | 16·35 | 2,050 tonnes of soft wheat |
| 4,850 tonnes of durum wheat | ||
| 1,300 tonnes of butter |
and have designated 127 organisations which are capable of meeting the conditions of the scheme. I am placing a list of designated organisations in the Library.
Individual designated organisations are being informed of the amounts of butter and beef they may withdraw free of charge from intervention stores. Since requests for produce from those organisations have exceeded the Commission's allocation to us by about three times, we have to impose some restrictions. To ensure that the produce is shared as fairly as possible between designated organisations, we have reduced the allocations for those who have requested the highest amount per recipient, and we will take up in the United Kingdom all the butter and beef allowed under the scheme.
Charities and local authorities will make their own arrangements in response to local need and the capacity of their own organisations. Method and timing of distributions will therefore differ throughout the country, and these may take place at any time during the next eight months. Notification will therefore be arranged locally by the organisation concerned.