§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the total public spending on agriculture as a percentage of agricultural output in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Economic Community as a whole for the latest years in which information is available.
§ Mr. JoplingThe value of agricultural output in 1982 for the United Kingdom, the European Community and the United States of America is as follows. Information on agricultural expenditure is also shown but is not available on a comparable basis; the coverage and years differ.
Value of agricultural output Public spending on agriculture £ Million £ Million UK 20,800 *1,430 EC 80,900 †7,300 USA 83,200 ‡13,450 * Gross public expenditure during the year ended 31 March 1983 on market support, price guarantees, support for capital and other improvements and assistance for special areas. Part of the expenditure was financed by the European Community. † CAP expenditure in 1982 (calendar). This does not include spending on agriculture by individual Member States and thus has a much more limited coverage than the UK and US figures. ‡ Expenditure by the US Department of Agriculture during the year ended 30 September 1982, excluding expenditure on forestry and welfare food programmes. Figures have been converted at current exchange rates.