§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will show the breakdown of expenditure of £607 million sterling equivalent by the Guarantee Section of the EAGGF of the EEC for the year 1973 in respect of milk and milk products, briefly explaining its operation or providing a reference to such description.
§ Mr. BishopA breakdown of 1973 expenditure is given below:
Storage of butter and procedures for the reduction of the surplus of butter fats: the net losses of intervention agencies on the buying and selling of butter are met from Community funds, and their incidental costs on storage and financing are reimbursed at standard rates. There is also a private storage aid to encourage the holding of butter from the summer months to the winter; a social butter subsidy has also been paid to encourage consumption by those receiving social assistance.
Food aid from common stocks of skimmed milk powder: the cost of the Community food aid programme—the cost of the powder together with delivery costs—is included here.
Food aid from common butter stocks: the costs of the Community food aid programme —the cost of the butter, processing into butter oil and delivery costs—are shown here.
Aid to butter consumption: a general consumer subsidy to encourage consumption of butter was introduced, but so far applies only in Ireland and the United Kingdom.