asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the additional weekly cost to the food purchases of the average British family in consequence of Britain's involvement in the common agricultural policy; and what would be the effect on the retail prices of beef, butter, bread, sugar and flour if the import levies required by the common agricultural policy were abolished.

Estimates of the kind requested could only be attempted by making hypothetical assumptions about the policy which would have been pursued had we not been a member of the European Economic Community.