§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the grants and subsidies to hill farming are mandatory; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the extent to which the different benefits are financed out of the European Economic Community budget.
§ Mrs. FennerThe special aid to farmers in the less favoured areas is provided at my discretion within the limits permitted by EC directive 75/268 in order to ensure the continued viability of our hill and upland farms.
Details of aids paid in the less favoured areas in 1983 and of the European Community's contribution to them are as follows:
Grant paid in 1983 Reimbursement from FEOGA £ million £ million Hill livestock compensatory allowances 85.347 21.337 Development plans 32.922 6.826 Joint investment schemes 0.034 0.009 Total 118.303 28.172
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the grants and subsidies covered by the figures given in his written reply dated 19 December, Official Report, colum 200, on support to hill farms; and if he will give the amounts spent under the various headings.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe following grants and subsidies were included in the derivation of the percentage figures quoted in the written reply dated 19 December 1984, at column 200:
ECU/tonne (Marketing year: November-October) 1972–73* 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 Basic Price 825.00 1,587.21 1,761.80 1,946.80 2,053.87 2,033.30 Sluice-gate price 554.663 1,143.70 1,364.40 1,271.90 1,412.90 1,534.60 Basic import levy 262.728 411.30 345.30 508.40 478.30 398.20
MECU Market support 1973† 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Export refunds 96.7 91.6 132.6 96.1 120.2 157.0 Aids to private storage — 24.0 22.0 15.5 24.8 38.9 Total 96.7 115.6 154.6 111.6 145.0 195.9 * UA/tonne † MUA Source: European Commission.