§ Mr. Chaterasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the total amount of assistance given to the agricultural industry in Great Britain in the last three years for which figures are available under the following heads: rating relief, wheat subsidy, beet-sugar subsidy and rebate, cattle subsidy and milk subsidy?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleThe amount for the three financial years 1933, 1934 and 1935 is as follows: 1789W
1933. 1934. 1935. £ £ £ Wheat Deficiency Payments(a) … … 7,160,489 6,781,504 5,611,276 Beet Sugar Subsidy … … 3,332,910 4,449,883 2,285,570 Beet Sugar rebate of taxation … … 2,120,000 2,882,000 2,660,000 Cattle (Payments to producers) … … — 1,899,042 3,597,492 (7 months.) Milk (Payments to Milk Marketing Boards) — 1,233,060 1,713,454 12,613,399 17,245,489 15,867,792 (a) These amounts were paid out of the Wheat Fund under the Wheat Act, 1932. The periods covered are the cereal years ended 31st July, 1934, 1935 and 1936.
It is not possible to express in terms of money the benefit which agriculture has derived from derating during these years. The amount included in the block grant in respect of the year 1928–29 on the basis of benefit to agriculture in that year totaled approximately £10,800,000.