Grants, Subsidies and Wages (Hansard, 8 February 1961)

§ Mr. W. Hamilton
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was paid to the agricultural industry in the form of grants and subsidies in each year since 1951; and what was the estimated total wages bill paid in each of those years.

Mr. Vane:
Following is the information:

— Total grants and subsidies paid to the agricultural industry in the United Kingdom Estimated total wages bill for agriculture in the United Kingdom

Years ended 31st March Years ended 31st May

£ million £ million

1951–52 30.8 240.0

1952–53 42.8 248.5

1953–54 53.4 257.5

1954–55 190.0 258.0

1955–56 200.8 267.0

1956–57 234.5 276.5

1957–58 279.4 283.5

1958–59 236.4 293.0

1959–60 (estimated) 251.0 289.0

Notes:

(1) The food subsidies borne by the former Ministry of Food and administrative expenses have been excluded. Hence the figures for the period 1951–54 are not strictly comparable with those for later years.

(2) The wages figures include all payments for overtime piecework bonuses premiums and the value of payments in kind. They also include the imputed cost of family labour other than that of farmers and their wives. Employers' share of National Insurance contributions and earnings of salaried staff are excluded.

§ Mr. Worsley
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the latest estimates he has made of the agricultural subsidies for the United Kingdom for 1960–61, with comparable figures for the preceding year.

§ Mr. Soames:
Following are particulars of the latest estimates of the cost of agricultural support in the financial year 1960–61 for which provisions have been made in the Civil Estimates, Class VIII, Votes 2 and 11, as amended by the Supplementary Estimates, available today, with the latest comparable figures for the financial year 1959–60.
71W

1960–61 1959–60

I. FARMING GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES £ million

(a) General Fertilisers Subsidy … 32.2 29.4

(b) Lime Subsidy … 9.0 11.0

(c) Grants for Ploughing up Grassland … 10.7 9.4

(d) Field Drainage and Water Supply Grants … 3.6 3.3

(e) Grants for Improvement of Livestock Rearing Land … 1.6 1.5

(f) Marginal Production Assistance Grants … 1.0 1.7

(g) Bonus Payments under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme … 8.9 9.0

(h) Livestock: Improvement of Breeding … — —

(i) Calf Subsidy … 18.0 16.5

(j) Hill Sheep and Hill Cattle … 5.3 4.1

(k) Silo Subsidies … 0.9 1.4

(l) Grants for Farm Improvements … 8.2 6.6

(m) Grants to Rabbit Clearance Societies … 0.2 0.1

(n) Grants to Small Farmers … 6.3 1.1

Total I … 105.9 95.1

II. IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRICE GUARANTEES

1960–61 1959–60

£ million

(a) Cereals:—

Wheat and Rye … … … 18.1 20.4

Barley … … … 33.8 25.2

Oats and mixed corn … … … 11.8 63.7 12.8 58.4

(b) Eggs … … … 23.5 33.1

(c) Fatstock:—

Cattle … … … 11.7 3.4

Sheep … … … 13.9 25.3

Pigs … … … 18.6 44.2 22.2 50.9

(d) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk) 10.9 8.5

(e) Wool … … … 2.8 2.8

(f) Potatoes … … … 7.4 1.0

Total II … … … 152.5 154.7

Total (I and II) … … 258.4 249.8

Administrative Expenses applicable to I and II above … 6.1 5.9

Total Subsidy I and II … … 264.5 255.7

III. OTHER SERVICES

Payment to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland … … 1.1 1.2

TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT … … 265.6 256.9

Details of the original estimates of the cost of agricultural support were included in Table VIII of the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the Civil Estimates 1960–61 (H.C. 116-Memo.).

—	Total grants and subsidies paid to the agricultural industry in the United Kingdom	Estimated total wages bill for agriculture in the United Kingdom
Years ended 31st March	Years ended 31st May
	£ million	£ million
1951–52	30.8	240.0
1952–53	42.8	248.5
1953–54	53.4	257.5
1954–55	190.0	258.0
1955–56	200.8	267.0
1956–57	234.5	276.5
1957–58	279.4	283.5
1958–59	236.4	293.0
1959–60 (estimated)	251.0	289.0

		1960–61	1959–60
I. FARMING GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES		£ million
(a) General Fertilisers Subsidy	…	32.2	29.4
(b) Lime Subsidy	…	9.0	11.0
(c) Grants for Ploughing up Grassland	…	10.7	9.4
(d) Field Drainage and Water Supply Grants	…	3.6	3.3
(e) Grants for Improvement of Livestock Rearing Land	…	1.6	1.5
(f) Marginal Production Assistance Grants	…	1.0	1.7
(g) Bonus Payments under the Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme	…	8.9	9.0
(h) Livestock: Improvement of Breeding	…	—	—
(i) Calf Subsidy	…	18.0	16.5
(j) Hill Sheep and Hill Cattle	…	5.3	4.1
(k) Silo Subsidies	…	0.9	1.4
(l) Grants for Farm Improvements	…	8.2	6.6
(m) Grants to Rabbit Clearance Societies	…	0.2	0.1
(n) Grants to Small Farmers	…	6.3	1.1
Total I	…	105.9	95.1

II. IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRICE GUARANTEES
					1960–61		1959–60
					£ million
(a) Cereals:—
Wheat and Rye	…	…	…	18.1		20.4
Barley	…	…	…	33.8		25.2
Oats and mixed corn	…	…	…	11.8	63.7	12.8	58.4
(b) Eggs	…	…	…		23.5		33.1
(c) Fatstock:—
Cattle	…	…	…	11.7		3.4
Sheep	…	…	…	13.9		25.3
Pigs	…	…	…	18.6	44.2	22.2	50.9
(d) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk)		10.9		8.5
(e) Wool	…	…	…		2.8		2.8
(f) Potatoes	…	…	…		7.4		1.0
Total II	…	…	…		152.5		154.7

Total (I and II)	…	…	258.4	249.8
Administrative Expenses applicable to I and II above	…	6.1	5.9
Total Subsidy I and II	…	…	264.5	255.7
III. OTHER SERVICES
Payment to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland	…	…	1.1	1.2
TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT	…	…	265.6	256.9
Details of the original estimates of the cost of agricultural support were included in Table VIII of the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the Civil Estimates 1960–61 (H.C. 116-Memo.).