Written question asked by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 24 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 January 2006. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Monday, 6 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Wheat Stores

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many days' supply of bread making wheat have been in store in England over the last four years.

Answer: [holding answer 30 January 2006]: We do not have information specifically on supply levels of bread making wheat in store in England.However data on the stock level for all milling wheat are collected under the Defra monthly survey of wheat milled in the UK. This includes wheat milled to produce bread, biscuits, other food ingredients and starch, where production of flour for bread making was typically around 60 per cent. of the total flour produced. Assuming typical utilisation and production levels, it is estimated that UK millers have held approximately 15–25 days supply and on average 20 days supply of all types of wheat for milling in the last four years. The wheat stocks include both UK and imported wheat grain.Further significant stocks of UK produced and/or imported wheat which may be used for bread making will be held at other points in the supply chain such as on farm, by merchants, at ports or by co-ops. We do not have information on the volume or proportion of these wheat stocks that are of bread making quality.

Secondary information