§ Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual cost per acre of all Government payments and subsidies to agriculture in the seven Crofting Counties in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. RossThe information is set out in the table below.
GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES PAID TO FARMERS AND CROFTERS IN THE SEVEN CROFTING COUNTIES Year Total Acreage (Crops, Grass and Rough Grazing) '000 acres Total Grants and Subsidies £000 Average Cost per Acre £ 1956–57 … 8,192 2,881.3 .35 1957–58 … 8,251 3,642.4 .44 1958–59 … 8,346 4,205.2 .50 1959–60 … 8,391 4,769.7 .57 1960–61 … 8,407 5,164.2 .61 1961–62 … 8,335 6,154.4 .74 1962–63 … 8,344 5,917.0 .71 1963–64 … 8,323 6,045.6 .73 1964–65 … 8,310 6,652.8 .80 1965–66 … 8,270 6,536.3 .79 Note: The figures for grants and subsidies include payments in respect of Improvement Grants, lime and fertilizer subsidies, livestock subsidies, support prices for cereals and fatstock and various crofting improvement and cropping grants.