HC Deb 17 March 1975 vol 888 c303W
Mr. Newens

asked the minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish in the Official Report the further information now available on the sub-

Country Description of subsidy Estimated equivalent effect in terms of pence per gallon for periods stated
Belgium Flat-rate payment on oil delivered, 50 centimes per litre from 1st April to 31st December 1974 and 30 centimes per litre from 1st January to 31st March 1975 2.5p April-December 1974 1.5p January-March 1975
Denmark None
Federal Republic of Germany* Flat-rate payment by Federal Government in 1974 on 12 months' oil usage, taking 1972 and 1973 consumption as the base, of about 3 pfennigs per litre. The Länder made varying supplementary payments averaging about 1 pfennig per litre. The Federal Government has announced that there will be additional retrospective payments of about 2 pfennigs per litre on 1974 consumption Aggregate of about 4.7p for 1974
France In 1974 lump sum payments were made to growers based on their area of heated structures. The rates varied regionally from 1.60 to 3.37 francs per square metre, the most common rate being 2.81 francs. These rates were however halved for growers using heavy oil. Supplementary payments at about half the 1974 rates have been proposed for 1975 Aggregate of about 3p for 1974
Irish Republic Flat-rate payment on oil delivered, 5p per gallon from 1st July to 31st December 1974 and 2p per gallon from 1st January to 30th June 1975 5p July-December 1974 2p January-June 1975
Italy None
Luxembourg Virtually no glass
Netherlands An interest rate subsidy is payable on bank loans used to purchase fuel. A bank guarantee scheme effectively provided a subsidy of 30 florins per metric ton from 1st January to 31st July 1974 for light oil; of 30 florins per metric tons from 1st March to 31st July 1974 for heavy oil; and of 50 florins per metric tons from 1st August 1974 to 30th June 1975 for all oil Aggregate of about 4p to 5p for 1974
United Kingdom Flat-rate payment on oil used, 6p per gallon from 1st January to 30th June 1974 and 4p per gallon from 1st July to 31st December 1974 6p January-June 1975 4p July-December 1974

In the case of France and the Netherlands the calculation of the estimated equivalent effect is necessarily imprecise because of the different methods of subsidisation which these countries have adopted.

* The Federal Republic of Germany has a subsidy for gas used by horticulturists, similar to that for oil. Further details are not yet available.