asked the Minister of Food what recent conversations he has had with the Minister of Agriculture for Eire with regard to the supply of store and fat cattle to to this country; and will he make a statement setting out the result with the terms of any agreement reached.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the statement which was issued to the Press after the discussions on 24th March.

Has any long-term agreement been concluded? If not, in view of the industrial importance of these two countries to each other, will my right hon. Friend seek to achieve long-term agreements advantageous to both, which will enable them to exchange their various products?

Perhaps my hon. and learned Friend did not notice that the Press notice, issued at the time, stated that this temporary agrement was to be carried on to 31st May, and that this particular point would be, in the meanwhile, discussed in relation to all the other economic issues between the two countries.

Will my right hon. Friend answer that part of my question about long-term agreements which has regard to the industrial importance of these countries to each other?

We have several such long-term agreements already, and they are certainly not excluded from the discussions which go on before 31st May.