§ 20. Mr. WilshireTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he is taking to seek to reform the common agricultural policy.
§ Mr. MacGregorI am seeking to ensure that the approach adopted on CAP reform at the recent European Council is followed through in the price fixing. I favour adjustments to support arrangements which will bring supply and demand into better balance and restore intervention to its original role as a safety net rather than an alternative market outlet.
§ Mr. WilshireAs every citizen is a consumer of agricultural products but few earn their living from agriculture, will my right hon. Friend give higher priority to the wish of consumers for lower prices, rather than the high prices that we now have?
§ Mr. MacGregorThe Government's record on food prices is very good. The average is well below what it was under the last Labour Administration, and is below the rate of inflation. I think that the problem is much more the contribution that the taxpayer has to make in ways that are not a sensible use of economic resources, and it is on that that we are concentrating.