HC Deb 27 February 1948 vol 447 c370W
Mr. Lambert

asked the Minister of Food the total cost of the subsidy paid by the Exchequer for foodstuffs consumed in Great Britain for the year 1947, specifying separately the subsidies paid on bread, fresh meat, bacon, sugar, butter and cheese.

Mr. Strachey

The accounts of the Ministry of Food are related to the fiscal year ending on 31st March and it is impracticable to provide the information asked for in respect of the calendar year. Subsidies paid by the Exchequer for foodstuffs consumed in Great Britain during the financial year 1946–47 are as follows:

£ millions.
Bread 32.9
Home killed Fresh Meat 28.6
Bacon 7.2
Sugar 26.4
Butter 14.6
Cheese 12.9
Other Foodstuffs (including welfare schemes and animal feeding stuffs) 177.7
Total subsidies borne by Ministry of Food 300.3
Acreage payments borne on the Vote of the Agricultural Departments 17.9
Fertilizer and molasses subsidies borne on Board of Trade Vote 6.8
325.0

Notes.—1. The figure for bread includes the direct baking subsidy paid to bakers and the proportion of the flour subsidy attributable to flour used in bread making, but it does not include the cost of the wheat acreage payments.

2. The figure for fresh meat does not include the subsidy on imported frozen meat.

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