Mr. FOOT MITCHELLasked the Minister of Agriculture the principal items of State expenditure in relation to agriculture in England and Wales since the Government took office?
Mr. GUINNESSIt would be very difficult to give reliable figures relating 819W to expenditure during the latter part of the financial year 1924–25 after the Government had assumed office. The following statement gives the principal items of State expenditure in relation to Agriculture in England and Wales in the period from 1st April, 1925, to 31st March, 1929—partly estimated as regards the current financial year.
Service. Expenditure in four years period. £ Collection of Agricultural Statistics 148,000 Agricultural Education 1,288,000 Agricultural Research 1,164,000 Eradication of Diseases in Animals* 603,000 Live Stock Improvement 194,000 Land Settlement† 4,111,000 Allotments‡ 110,000 Land Drainage 267,000 Agricultural Wages Regulation§ 145,000 Agricultural Credits and Co- operation║ 2,825,000 Improvement of Marketing 30,000 Rural Industries Development 35,000 Beet Sugar Subsidy 11,335,000 Relief of Agricultural Rates 18,678,000 Total £40,933,000 General Note.—Except as regards Agricultural Wages Regulation (see footnote §) the above figures exclude expenses of administration (salaries, travelling, rent, rates, stationery and printing, superannuation, postage, etc.).
* Includes Scotland, separate figures for which are not available. This figure does not include contributions from the Local Taxation Accounts.
† Including £646,000 advanced by way of loans.
‡ Advances by way of loans.
§ The work arising under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924, is almost wholly of an administrative character. In this instance, the expenses of administration have been included.
║ Includes advances by way of loan under the Agricultural Credits Act, 1923, amounting to £2,458,000, and under the Act of 1928 amounting to £292,500.
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