§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the amounts spent by the United Kingdom intervention board for agricultural production in each of the years 1977 and 1978 on each of the following items: aids to the private storage of sugar, skimmed milk and skimmed milk powder
1977 1978 £ £ 1. Aid to private storage of sugar 6,649,555 14,250,041 2. Aids for animal feed, skimmed milk powder and liquid skimmed milk 11,673,320 71,713,171 3. Production subsidies for cereals used for starch manufacture 1,849,961 11,108,733 4. Losses reimbursable by FEOGA for intervention buying 2,405,700 35,690,956 Notes: Production subsidies for cereals were fully offset by the accession compensatory amount until 31 July 1977. The reduction in aca's on 1 August led to small payments for the rest of the year but from 1 January 1978, when aca's were abolished, the refund became payable in full. There is a levy on the sugar, as it is disposed of by producers, which, taking one year with another, equals the cost of the aid. Increased levels of expenditure in 1978 under headings 2 and 3 have been due mainly to the introduction of new aid measures, or coverage of existing schemes or increases in the level of claims. The increase in 1978 under heading 4 is attributable to increased quantities of butter and skimmed milk powder sold out of intervention at reduced prices; increased skimmed milk powder taken from intervention in fulfilment of Community food aid actions; and a change by the Community in the method of evaluating end of year intervention stocks.