§ 28. Brigadier-General MAKINSasked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the average amount of assistance in subsidy and duty preference per acre per year given to sugar-beet in Great Britain since the commencement of the Beet Sugar Subsidy Act; what is the estimated amount of assistance per acre that will be given to wheat growers under the Wheat Bill at the present rate of world wheat prices; and what is the estimated assistance that will be given to pasture land suitable for stock raising and dairy production through the Import Duties Act?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs the answer contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The following statement shows for each year of the subsidy period the total assistance granted to the British sugar-beet industry, including subsidy and effective duty preference, in terms of per acre of beet grown:
| Year. | Assistance per acre of beet. |
| £ | |
| 1934–5 | 24.5 |
| 1925–6 | 23.9 |
| 1926–7 | 30.7 |
| 1927–8 | 21.6 |
| 1928–9 | 19.7 |
| 1929–30 | 22.8 |
| 1930–1 | 21.9 |
| 1931–2 | 12.2 |
§ Assuming that the present Gazette price of English wheat may be taken as a basis, there would be a "price deficit" 1466 of 4s. 3d. per cwt. and the average benefit per acre of wheat under the Wheat Bill may be estimated as £3 3s. 9d. per acre.
§ With regard to the last part of the question, it is not possible to estimate the assistance that will be given to pasture land as a result of the Import Duties Act.