§ Mr. Richard Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the effect since 1979 of the common agricultural policy on (a) the retail prices index and (b) real disposable incomes.
§ Mrs. FennerBetween 1979 and 1985 the retail price index rose by 67 per cent. and real personal disposable incomes are forecast to have risen by 6 per cent. The corresponding increase in retail food prices was 47 per cent., representing a fall in real terms of 12 per cent.; prices received by agricultural producers rose by 30 per cent. The effect of the common agricultural policy on these indicators could be estimated only on the basis of an array of assumptions on alternatives to the policy that actually obtained. Restraint on CAP price changes in recent years has, however, contributed to the real fall in food prices since 1979.