To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much farm gate prices have increased since 1979 relative to the retail prices index.

The index of producer prices of agricultural products increased at an average annual rate of 3·6 per cent. between 1979 and 1990 compared with 7·5 per cent. for all items in the retail prices index.

Does my hon. Friend agree that that shows that the British farmer has given tremendous value for money to the consumer in the past 12 years? Does he further agree that if every other industry in Britain had achieved efficiency and productivity improvements comparable with British agriculture during the same period, we should be one of the richest nations on earth?

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend The farmers of Richmond, Skipton and Ripon are in the forefront of the achievement of which my hon. Friend speaks.