§ Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in percentage terms in food prices, and the retail price index from January 1973 to date; and what is the estimate in percentage terms of the effect of the common agricultural policy over that period on food prices.
§ Mr. MacGregorBetween January 1973 and February 1984 the retail food price index rose by 286 per cent. and the retail price index by 285 per cent. Because of the many varying and sometimes hypothetical assumptions that would have been involved it is not possible to give an estimate of the effect of the common agricultural policy but it is not thought to have been large.