HC Deb 02 May 1989 vol 152 c83W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on the price of butter, beef and wheat in the United Kingdom in consequence of the various changes agreed at the Council of Ministers.

Mr. MacGregor

The decisions taken on 22 April by the Council of Ministers, are expected to increase support prices in the United Kingdom by just over 1 per cent. for butter; 2.7 per cent. for beef and around 3.5 per cent. for wheat, but market prices and retail prices reflect many factors, notably the weather, levels of supply and demand, the operation of stabilisers and the weakening of intervention arrangements for these products in recent years.