HC Deb 20 May 1985 vol 79 cc351-2W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to the reply of 2 May, Official Report, columns 201–06, concerning the amount spent on agricultural production in 1984–85, whether he will publish in the Official Report the latest estimate of the tonnage of product in deadweight tonnes and so on, together with particulars of (a) the division between beef and dairy for the amount spent on hill livestock compensatory allowances and (b) an approximate division between products of the amount spent in development loans and grants.

Mr. Jopling

The latest estimate of the tonnages of product for 1984–85, where these are available, are contained in the Winter and Spring Supplementary Estimates for Class III Vote 1 of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce (see HC 7 and HC 183 of 1984–85). Dairy cattle are not eligible for hill livestock compensatory allowances; no development loans are made and information about the amounts spent on grants is not available by product.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to the reply of 2 May, Offical Report, columns 201–06 concerning the amount spent on agricultural production in 1984–85, whether he will divide the support figures for cereals into wheat and barley, together with a table showing how much expenditure in each of the cases quoted in his original answer was mandatory under the common agricultural policy, how much was discretionary, and how much was paid from the Exchequer under United Kingdom or other legislation without any contribution from EEC funds.

Mr. Jopling

Separate figures for forecast expenditure on wheat and barley are not readily available. Most of the expenditure in 1984–85 on market regulation under the CAP shown in table 28 of Cmnd. 9423 is mandatory, the principal exceptions being the beef variable premium scheme (forecast expenditure £115.0 million) and the enhancement of suckler cow premium payments in Great Britain (forecast expenditure on the enhancement of £11.7 million). Exchequer expenditure on market regulation under the CAP is on intervention (purchases plus incidental costs less sales receipts and the EAGGF contribution towards incidental costs and losses of value on sales), beef premiums (60 per cent. of the cost) and the suckler cow premium (25 per cent. of the basic premium plus all the enhancement in Great Britain).

Back to