HC Deb 09 February 1959 vol 599 cc144-6W
Mr. M. Noble

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give further details concerning the estimates of the agricultural subsidies for the United Kingdom to amplify the information contained in the Supplementary Estimates dated 30th January, 1959, with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Mr. John Hare

Following are particulars of the latest estimates of the cost of agricultural support in the financial year 1958–59 for which provisions have been made in the Civil Estimates, Class VIII, Votes 2 and 11, with the latest comparable figures for the financial year 1957–58:

I.—FARMING GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES
— 1958–59 1957–58
Cash Subsidy Cash Subsidy
£ million
(a) General fertilisers subsidy 26.7 22.8
(b) Lime subsidy 9.2 10.4
(c) Grants for ploughing up grassland 9.5 10.0
(d) Field drainage and water supply grants 2.9 2.9
(e) Grants for improvement of livestock rearing land 1.7 1.4
(f) Marginal production assistance grants 2.3 2.4
(g) Bonus payments under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme 8.6 8.0
(h) Livestock: improvement of breeding 0.1 0.1
(i) Calf subsidy 14.8 12.9
(j) Hill Sheep and Hill Cattle 3.0 2.9
(k) Silo subsidies 1.1 1.3
(l) Grants for farm improvements 3.8 0.2
Total I 83.7 75.3

II.—IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRICE GUARANTEES
— 1958–59 1957–58
Cash Subsidy Cash Subsidy
£ million
(a) Cereals:
Wheat and rye 19.7 22.2
Barley 23.1 17.1
Oats and mixed corn 9.8 11 .9
52.6 51.2
(b) Home produced eggs 33.8 45.8
(c) Fatstock:
Cattle 13.7 34.1
Sheep 12.3 11.7
Pigs 22.5 36.8
48.5 82.6
(d) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk) 10.1 12.9
(e) Wool 6.4 1.5
(f) Potatoes 6.9 6.7
Total II 158.3 200.7
Total Cash (I and II) 242.0 242.0 276.0 276.0
Administrative Overheads applicable to I and above 4.7 4.7
Total Subsidy I and II 246.7 280.7

III.—TRADING SUBSIDIES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL GUARANTEES
— 1958–59 1957–58
Cash Subsidy Cash Subsidy
£ million
(a) Home produced eggs … — — 0.9 0.9
(b) Potatoes … — — 1.6 1.6
Total III … — — 2.5 2.5
IV.—OTHER SERVICES
Payment to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland … 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9
TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT … 242.8 247.5 279.4 284.1
Details of the original estimates of the cost of agricultural support were included in similar form in Table V of the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the Civil Estimates 1958–59 (H.C. 90—Memo).