§ Mr. William Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sums have been expended by the agriculture industry in the United Kingdom in each of the last four years for which figures are available on (a) land drainage, (b) new agricultural tractors, (c) other new farm machinery, (d) fertilizers and lime, (e) feeding stuffs and (f) farm buildings; and what was the total grant paid in respect of each of these items from (i) European community sources and (ii) United Kingdom sources.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe table following shows for the categories listed and where information is available, estimated total expenditure by the agriculture industry in the United Kingdom for the last four complete calendar 81W years. Figures of total expenditure by the agricultural industry on land drainage (as opposed to expenditure eligible for grant aid) are not readily available.
The table also shows the total grants paid each year under the agricultural and horticultural development
£ million Calendar year 1979 1980 1981 1982 (i) (ii) (iii) (i) (ii) (iii) (i) (ii) (iii) (i) (ii) (iii) (a) Field drainage* N/A 8.6 19.6 N/A 16.1 27.1 N/A 17.6 23.5 N/A 27.2 3.27 (b) Agricultural tractors 173 — — 134 — — 134 — — 177 — — (c) Other farm machinery 328 13.7 2.5 291 17.4 2.9 228 11.9 1.8 292 12.6 1.3 (d) Fertilisers and lime† 548 0.2 4.0 651 0.4 4.1 764 0.8 2.6 808 3.3 6.8 (e) Feedingstuffs 2,089 — — 2,188 — — 2,290 — — 2,476 — — (f) Farm buildings N/A 34.6 31.2 336 54.7 41.1 303 42.5 35.4 295 43.6 37.7 (i) Estimated total expenditure. (ii) Total grant paid under AHDS and Northern Ireland ADP: 25 per cent. of AHDS and 40 per cent. of Northern Ireland ADP Grant Payments are refundable by the European Community. (iii) Total grant paid under AHGS. — None or negligible. * Does not include any grant paid to Water Authorities, Local Authorities or Internal Drainage Boards. † Excludes any grant paid as part of a grassland reseeding programme. N/A Not available.