§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants are employed exclusively on administering agricultural levies; what is the estimated annual cost of administering these levies; and what is their estimated gross yield for the current financial year.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI have been asked to reply.
The administration of the agricultural levies is carried out by Customs and Excise staff as part of their general work in the control and collection of import duties and associated activities. The estimated annual cost of administering import duties—estimated to yield £530 million in 1975–76—and associated activities, which include agricultural levies and considerable non-revenue work, is £44.5 million. The estimated yield for the agricultural levies is £40 million.