asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place between the industry and the Government following publication of the report on Scotch whisky of the distilling sector working group of the food and drink manufacturing EDC; and what action the Gov-

						1 January 1979 to 30 June 1979	1979 (actual expenditure to 31 October 1979 and an estimate for the rest of the year)
						£	£
Butter Expenditure—
1. Intervention purchases		…	…	…	…	39,979,725	80,100,000
2. Intervention incidental cost (storage and handling)						1,147,984	3,000,000
3.Private Storage Aid		…	…	…	…	3,370,860	4,150,000
4. General Butter Subsidy		…	…	…	…	17,655,625	46,800,000
5. Export Refunds	…	…	…	…	…	5,947,426	13,400,000
Items 1 and 2, funded by the United Kingdom Exchequer, do not take account of receipts from sales nor reimbursement by the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund—EAGGF—of incidental costs at standard rates and of losses on sales. Items 3 to 5 are pre-funded by the EAGGF

The quantity of butter in intervention at 30 November 1979 was 50,382 tonnes and the amount stored under the private storage aid scheme at that time was 15,343 tonnes.

The recommendations directed at the Government are generally of a long-term nature and concrete results will take time to achieve. All are being actively followed up with the various interests concerned. There has been, and will continue to be, the fullest discussion with the industry on this report.