asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will quantify the financial benefits that he expects British farmers to receive from the EEC budget this year.

Of expenditure by the agricultural departments and by the intervention board in 1979–80, an estimated £440 million will be offset by receipts from the EEC budget. However, much of this expenditure benefits farmers only indirectly, and some of it is largely or wholly for the benefits of consumers, traders, manufacturers or overseas exporters.