European Communities Act 1972

7 Sugar

(1) In relation to amounts charged for the use of the Sugar Board by a directly applicable Community provision on goods imported into the United Kingdom, and to refunds of any such amounts, section 6(5) above shall have effect as it has effect in the case of other agricultural levies of the European Community, except that the Commissioners of Customs and Excise shall account to the Sugar Board, in such manner as the Treasury may direct, for all money collected for the benefit of the Board by virtue of that subsection and, pending payment to the Board, shall deal with all such money in such manner as the Treasury may direct.

There shall be allowed to the Commissioners, in the taking of any account under this subsection, such sums as the Treasury may from time to time determine in respect of their expenses attributable to this subsection, and the amount so allowed shall in the accounts of the Sugar Board be treated as expenses of the Board.

(2) The Minister shall, at such times as the Treasury may determine, pay to the Sugar Board any amount by which the sums charged for their benefit as mentioned in subsection (1) above, their receipts from dealings (as principals) in sugar and their other income fall short of their outgoings, whether in respect of those dealings, or of payments to be made by them in respect of imports under any directly applicable Community provision, or otherwise; but if at any time it appears to the Minister that the Sugar Board have accumulated funds in excess of the amount that they reasonably require to have available for the performance of their functions, he may direct the Board to pay to him such sum as may be specified in the direction, and the Board shall thereupon pay him the amount so specified.

(3) If as regards the home-grown beet crop for the year 1973 or any subsequent year it is made to appear to the Ministers by the processors of home-grown beet or by a body which is in their opinion substantially representative of the growers of home-grown beet that the processors and that body are unable to agree on the prices and other terms and conditions for the purchase of home-grown beet by the processors, the Ministers may determine or designate a person to determine those prices, terms and conditions ; and any purchase by processors for which prices, terms and conditions have been so determined, or contract for such a purchase, shall take effect as a purchase or contract for purchase at those prices and on those terms and conditions.

(4) This section shall be construed as one with the [1956 c. 48.] Sugar Act 1956; and in this section, as in that Act, "the Minister" means the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and " the Ministers" means the Minister and the Secretary of State acting jointly.