asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he expects to see any major changes in the common agricultural policy in 1983.

I continue to seek improvements in the operation of the common agricultural policy, designed to tackle the problem of surpluses, restrain the growth of expenditure and ensure fair competition within the Community, and will press for appropriate decisions to be taken in the context of this year's price-fixing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of European Community expenditure he expects to be devoted to the common agricultural policy for the current year; and what maximum level he will permit in the next year.

Allowing for the payment this year of the agreed 1982 refunds for the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany, the provision allocated to the common agricultural policy would take up about 65 per cent. of the total Community budget for 1983. The Government's aim is that the rate of increase in agricultural guarantee expenditure should be markedly lower than the rate of increase in the own-resources base.