§ Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total financial difference between 50W the cost of farm support today and the total cost of food subsidies in 1951; and to what extent he is satisfied that such support is going either to the farmer or the consumer, respectively.
§ Mr. John HareThe estimated cost of agricultural support in the United Kingdom in the financial year 1959–60 is £2591 million. Food subsidies in the financial year 1950–51 cost £400.3 million. Payments today are made directly to farmers or, on their behalf, to bodies representing them. Consumers benefit from increased supplies and from the fact that under the deficiency payments system they have access to food at prices which compare very favourably with most other countries in the world.