asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the Council of Ministers to produce a longer-term policy for European agriculture than the annual price reviews; and if he will make a statement.

The European Commission intends to publish a consultation paper in the next few weeks reviewing the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy. Following discussions with the interested parties it expects to submit its conclusions to the Council of Ministers in the autumn with the intention that these should be taken into account at the 1986 price fixing.