§ Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 586W which foods are now being subsidised; what is the amount of subsidy in each case; and what effect this expenditure has on the retail price to the consumer.
§ Mrs. FennerThe retail price of milk is being held at about ½p a pint below what it would otherwise be. This will result in a cost to the Exchequer in this financial year estimated at about £70 million. A general subsidy on butter is holding the retail price at about 2p a pound below what it would otherwise be. The estimated cost in a full year is about £18 million, of which £9 million will be contributed by Community funds. A special subsidy on butter financed by Community funds is also being paid to certain social security beneficiaries. Monetary compensatory amounts on certain imported foodstuffs are reducing the price of these products to the consumer.