§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total investment in the United Kingdom cheese industry for the year 1976–77 and the previous five years.
§ Mr. BishopI regret that information on capital investment in the manufacture of cheese is not separately distinguished in official statistics on investment in the milk and milk products industry.
§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total grant aid to the United Kingdom cheese industry made in 1976–77 623W and for the previous five years, the sources of that grant aid and the amounts of the individual grants.
§ Mr. BishopAssistance towards the cost of projects in the food processing sector is available from United Kingdom funds in the form of regional development grants. Grants made to the cheese industry are included under the general heading of food, drink and tobacco and cannot be separately identified.
Grants made to the United Kingdom cheese industry from the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund are as follows:
1976 (latest year available) 358,798 (4 projects) 1975 90,696 (2 projects) 1974 328,470 (5 projects) 1973 1,960,956 (9 projects)