§ 46. Mr. Tinkerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount paid in subsidies for the last completed financial year and the estimated amount for the next, giving separate figures for those that come under the head of food subsidies?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Kingsley Wood)Subsidies proper for the financial year 1940–41 cost roughly £6,500,000: the estimated cost for the current year is £8,750,000. Expenditure by the Ministry of Food in keeping steady the cost of food was about £80,000,000 in 1940–41 and is estimated at £109,000,000 for 1941–42. To those figures must be added a further sum representing cost borne by the Exchequer of sea transport of food now running at some £20,000,000 per annum.
§ Mr. TinkerIt was rather difficult to follow what the right hon. Gentleman said, owing to the noise, but may I ask whether he is pursuing his policy of giving subsidies so as to stabilise prices?
§ Sir K. WoodYes, Sir, I am pursuing the policy which I have already announced.