asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there are any sections of the food distribution industry which work on fixed cash margins rather than on a percentage uplift; and if so, whether he will provide relevant information in the Official Report.

I regret that the information sought is not obtainable. However, such evidence as we have suggests that in this competitive industry margins are more frequently related to the costs of distribution rather than to the prices at which distributors buy goods.