§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing each rise in food prices which has occurred as a result of a change in the value of the green pound or as a result of an increase in common agricultural policy prices or other ministerial decision, together with the details of the percentage increase in prices which resulted there from.
§ Mr. MacGregorIt is not possible to assess, with any precision, the effect that changes in specific factors have on recorded movements in food prices. Rather more than half of consumers' expenditure on food is represented by the costs of processing, packaging and distribution which are affected by increases in wages, costs of transport, and many other factors. In addition to changes in support prices, the costs of food raw materials are influenced by such factors as movements in world prices and supply and demand conditions on the domestic market.