HC Deb 21 April 1999 vol 329 c593W
Mr. Jack

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the calculations he made following the recent agreement by European Union Agriculture Ministers on CAP reform to determine the saving on consumers' food bills which will result when its latest reforms are fully implemented. [79776]

Mr. Rooker

As a result of the agreement reached by heads of government in Berlin, our calculations suggest that the benefits to UK consumers from the implementation of the cuts in support prices could be £1 billion a year once the reform has been fully implemented, and provided that all the likely reduction in farm-gate prices are passed through to retail level. A note explaining the basis for the calculation has been placed in the Library.