§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to ensure that the price of healthy foodstuffs is increasingly attractive compared to that of less healthy foodstuffs; and if he will promote such policies in discussions with other European Community member states.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe choice of food and the selection of a balanced diet is entirely a matter for the individual. I believe that this Government's policy of continued free and fair competition in the high street is the best way of matching food prices to demand and so providing the consumer with the widest opportunity of a healthy and balanced diet at a reasonable cost.
Our record in more than halving the average annual rate of food price increase since 1979 compared with that prevailing over the previous five years under Labour is the measure of the success of our policies for all, including the rest of the Community, to see.