§ Mr. Woodsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if he will give a list of foodstuffs which are subsidised by the Government, together with the amount of the subsidy in each case.
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe current annual rate of the gross subsidies, computed on the latest available information, including current freight and marine war risk rates but without providing for future contingencies, approximates to £85,000,000, against which are to be set off profits on certain commodities which are not subsidised of about £5,000,000, making a net total of £80,000,000 in subsidies. Of the total of £85,000,000, approximately £50,000,000 represents the subsidy on flour, bread, oatmeal and feeding-stuffs; approximately £23,000,000 represents the subsidy on meat, excluding the pre-war cattle subsidy; and the balance of £12,000,000 represents the subsidy on milk, tea, eggs and potatoes. In addition to the above-mentioned subsidies, the Ministry of Food is incurring on its account the pre-war cattle subsidy of approximately £4,500,000 a year, the beet sugar subsidy of £2,250,000 a year and the cost of the National Milk and other milk schemes of approximately £17,000,000 a year—thus giving a total cost of subsidies in all forms of approximately £109,000,000 per annum (gross), or £;104,000,000 per annum (net).