Agricultural Support (Cost)

HC Deb 27 May 1963 vol 678 cc82-3W

Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give full details of the out-turn of the agricultural subsidies for 1962–63, as compared with 1961–62.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Following are the latest out-turn figures (subject to final adjustment and audit) of the cost of agricultural support in the financial year 1962–63 (class V, Votes 3, 4, 5 and 6), with comparable figures for the financial year 1961–62.

II.—IMPLEMENTATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRICE GUARANTEES
				1962–63	1961–62
				£ million
(1) Cereals:—
Wheat and Rye	…	…	…	16.6		22.0
Barley	…	…	…	36.4		33.2
Oats and mixed corn	…	…	…	11.0		18.1
					64.0		73.3
(2) Eggs	…	…	…		21.5		16.2
(3) Fatstock—
Cattle	…	…	…	30.5		46.4
Sheep	…	…	…	18.9		30.7
Pigs	…	…	…	51.7		36.2
					101.1		113.3
(4) Milk (excluding school and welfare milk)	…	…	…		—*		11.8
(5) Wool	…	…	…		3.2		2.9
(6) Potatoes	…	…	…		0.4		8.0
TOTAL II					190.2		225.5

III.—OTHER SERVICES
Payment to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland	…	1.1	0.9
TOTALS I, II AND III	…	300.8	333.9
IV.—ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
Applicable to I and II only	…	8.9	8.7
TOTAL COST OF AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT	…	309.7	342.6
* Following the 1962 Annual Review the retail price of milk was arranged so that neither a deficiency nor a surplus will arise, taking one year with another, from the implementation of the price guarantee.