§ 14. Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of levies and duties to the average family of four due to the common agricultural policy arising from the difference between farmgate prices and cif to the United Kingdom port prices plus port charges, but excluding all European Economic Community tariffs and duties, for major traded agricultural commodities.
§ Mrs. FennerIn 1984 the United Kingdom collected some £387 million of levies and duties on imports of agricultural products from countries outside the European Community, equivalent on average to about 53p per week for a family of four.
§ Mr. MarlowAs my hon. Friend knows, agricultural support before we joined the Community was paid through taxation. Now agricultural support is paid through the common agricultural policy and through the infinitely higher price that Community produce sustains compared with world market prices. Effectively, that is a food tax on the consumer. I am sure that my hon. Friend would like eveybody to know what the factors are in the argument. Will she develop that theme so that we may know from week to week and month to month what food tax consumers in this country are paying?
§ Mrs. FennerAny question that my hon. Friend wants to table about the effects of levies similar to the one that I have just answered will, of course, be answered. However, I know my hon. Friend's views on Europe. Security of supply in Europe is valuable, too, although we are confronted with some surplus now, and there are other very good reasons for our membership of the Community.