§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the difference between the assumed fall and the actual fall in the value of the dollar, the cost of the difference, the assumed rate in the current year and the actual rate this year to date since his written reply dated 3 May 1985, Official Report, column 277, concerning the effect of a fall in the dollar on expenditure under the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JoplingThe exchange rate used to estimate agricultural expenditure in the 1985 Budget was 1.30 ecu to the US dollar. The actual average rate in 1985 turned out higher, at 1.33 ecu to the US dollar. The 1986 budget adopted by the European Parliament assumed a rate of 1.20 ecu to the US dollar. The average rate to 14 May this year has been 1.06 ecu to the US dollar.