asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to respond, in a practical manner, to the representations which have been made to him by the National Farmers Union for financial aid to the farming industry in the light of the winter weather crisis in certain areas of Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on Thursday 24 October 1985, at column 258, to the hon.