asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the arrangements for paying export agencies in the EEC for disposing of surplus food to buyers in third States; and how much was paid to the exporting organisation for disposing of butter to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics earlier this month.

The rates of export refunds are fixed by the European Commission, which normally consults the management committees. Exporters claim their refunds, which are financed from Community funds, from the appropriate agency in each member State. I have no information whether any payments have yet been made on the export from another member State of the butter referred to by my hon. Friend. The sum would depend on the quantity actually exported.