§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date Her Majesty's Government accepted responsibility for paying 25 per cent. of the cost of storing food in intervention; and what has been the cost of this contribution since that date.
§ Mr. MacGregor[holding answer 7 December 1987]: Further to my reply of 3 December at column 707, the reduction in reimbursement rates from December 1985 has marginally reduced the United Kingdom's net contribution to storage of food in intervention. For 1986 our receipts from the Community were cut by about £23 million, but our payments to the Community (net of Fontainebleau abatement) dropped by about £24 million, an overall gain of about £1 million.