HC Deb 14 February 1957 vol 564 cc204-6W
Mr. G. R. Howard

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to give further details concerning the estimates of the agricultural subsidies for the United Kingdom for the purpose of the Supplementary Estimates dated 5th February, 1957, with comparable figures for the preceding year.

Mr. Amory

Following are particulars of the latest estimates of the cost of agri-

1956–57 1955–56
Cash Subsidy £ million Cash Subsidy
I. DIRECT SUBSIDY PAYMENTS UNDER AGRICULTURAL PRICE GUARANTEES:
(a) Cereals:—
Wheat and Rye 15.9 25.2
Barley 8.9 10.7
Oats and mixed corn 1.4 —
26.2 35.9
(b) Home Produced Eggs 28.6 15.9
(c) Fatstock:—
Cattle 34.0 0.4
Sheep 9.3 5.2
Pigs 31.5 46.7
74.8 52.3
(d) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk) 22.1 34.5
(e) Wool 0.4 —
(f) Potatoes 0.5 —
TOTAL I 152.6 138.6

1956–57 1955–56
Cash Subsidy Cash Subsidy
£ million
II. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION GRANTS
(a) General Fertilisers Subsidy 20.0 14.8
(b)Lime Subsidy 9.3 10.2
(c) Grants for Ploughing up Grassland 9.0 5.4
(d) Field Drainage and Water Supply Grants 2.8 2.8
(e) Grants for Improvement of Livestock Rearing Land 1.7 1.5
(f) Marginal Production Assistance Grants 2.2 1.6
(g) Bonus Payments under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme 10.3 10.2
(h) Livestock: Improvement of Breeding 0.1 0.2
(i) Calf Subsidy 11.9 7.7
(j) Hill Sheep and Hill Cattle 3.9 3.7
(k) Grants for Silos 0.1 —
TOTAL II 71.3 58.1
TOTAL CASH I AND II 223.9 223.9 196.7 196.7
Administrative Overheads applicable to I and II above 5.0 5.1
TOTAL SUBSIDY I AND II 228.9 201.8

III. TRADING SUBSIDIES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICUL TURAL GUARANTEES:
(a) Home Produced Eggs 4.7 4.9 3.2 3.4
(b)Potatoes 0.8 1.0 0.6 0.7
TOTAL III 5.5 5.9 3.8 4.1
TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT 229.4 234.8 200.5 205.9
Details of the original estimates of the cost of agricultural support were appended, in similar form, to the Revised Estimates of 3rd July, 1956 (H.C. 316).

cultural support in the financial year 1956–57 for which provisions have been made in the Civil Estimates, Class VIII, Votes 2 and 12, with the latest comparable figures for the financial year 1955–56.