§ Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest estimate he can make of the cost to the Exchequer of a return to deficiency payments, assuming the maintenance of the same level of agricultural support as at present; and what is the latest estimate he can make of the cost to the Exchequer of operating the common agricultural policy.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerIt is not possible to provide a satisfactory estimate of the Exchequer cost of deficiency payments, which would depend on whatever precise arrangements might be hypothesised for the individual commodities. As for the common agricultural policy, the net cost to the Exchequer, after taking account of Community reimbursements, of operating Community agricultural guarantee arrangements in the United Kingdom, is estimated to be £132.8 million in 1980–81, but in addition the United Kingdom contributes to the 325W financing of the common agricultural policy through its payments to the Community budget. Information on our gross and net contributions to the budget is contained in pages 34–38 of the White Paper on the Government's expenditure plan s—Cmnd. 8175.