HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 cc611-2W
Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid in(a) subsidies, (b) grants, (c) tax reliefs and (d) other financial aid to (i) the farming industry, (ii) other rural recipients, (iii) the black community and (iv) the gay community in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [74613]

Mr. Boateng

Government support for the farming industry, rural communities, black communities and gay communities takes a variety of forms and a full breakdown in the format requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However details on subsidies received by the farming sector are published in Agriculture in the UK 2001 (available in the Library of the House). In 2001–02 public expenditure to the agricultural sector in the UK under the Common Agricultural Policy and national grants and subsidies was £5.3 billion. This includes £2 billion on foot and mouth compensation payments and associated disposal costs.

Details of the costs of the main tax reliefs can be found in table A3.1 in the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002, (also available in the Library of the House). We are unable to analyse the cost of tax reliefs in the format requested.