§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the administrative expenses of his Department he estimates to be directly or indirectly attributable to duties which must be carried out by his Department as a result of membership of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. JoplingThe work undertaken by my departments which is directly or indirectly attributable to duties which must be carried out as a result of membership of the EC cannot easily be distinguished from other work. Many programmes contain both EC and non-EC elements; not all activities carried out in connection with membership of the EC are obligatory; and some programmes now forming part of our Community obligations were previously operated under national arrangements. Although, therefore, it is not possible to give the precise cost of administering duties arising from membership of the EC, it is estimated that between one quarter and one third of the running costs of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1983–84 was attributable to EC membership. The running costs of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce are wholly attributable to EC work.