asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his talks in Brussels on the European Economic Community ethyl alcohol directive, in the light of the effect of the directive on investment in the chemical industry in Great Britain.

Although the draft regulation on agricultural alcohol has been discussed briefly in the Council of Agriculture Ministers, a great deal of work remains to be done at a technical level, and no decision is likely for some time. During the discussions we will continue to keep closely in mind the interests of all the various United Kingdom industries concerned.