§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the net cost to the Exchequer of support to United Kingdom agriculture in each year from 1960 to 1983 in actual and at 1983 prices taking into account all refunds.
§ Mr. MacGregorExpenditure on agricultural support in the United Kingdom under national grant schemes and subsidies and since 1972–73 under the CAP, net of receipts from the EC budget, is given in the following table in actual and 1982–83 prices. The figures are taken from the annual review White Papers over the years concerned;56W these exclude expenditure which may benefit farmers but where the value to them is not directly quantifiable to the individual farmer, eg expenditure on research, advice and education. They include however some expenditure which benefits consumers and trade interests rather than producers. The information is not readily available on a calendar year basis and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Public Expenditure on Agriculture Financial year £ million (to nearest million) £ million* 1982–83 prices 1960–61 263 1,725 1961–62 343 2,157 1962–63 310 1,880 1963–64 294 1,760 1964–65 264 1,519 1965–66 237 1,298 1966–67 229 1,212 1967–68 262 1,352 1968–69 269 1,318 1969–70 281 1,311 1970–71 257 1,115 1971–72 323 1,282 1972–73 266 988 1973–74 315 1,059 1974–75 325 927 1975–76 248 568 1976–77 198 393 1977–78 271 472 1978–79 209 336 1979–80 265 368 1980–81 406 485 1981–82 230 246 1982–83 628 628 †1983–84 606 578 Source: Annual Review White Papers. * Adjusted to 1982–83 prices by the retail price index. † Forecast.