HC Deb 19 March 1987 vol 112 cc611-2W
Mr. Best

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the amount of subsidy per cow that is provided by the Governments of (a) France, (b) Germany and (c) Italy.

Mr. Gummer

The information requested is not available. The Commission of the European Community is responsible for monitoring such national subsidies and ensuring that they are compatible with the treaty of Rome.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the average level of financial support per cow in each of the other European Economic Community countries.

Mr. Gummer

[pursuant to his reply. 10 March 1987, c. 146]: Member states' shares of Community expenditure in the milk sector in 1985, on a per cow basis, are set out in the following table. These do not, however, give any indication of the relative levels of total support enjoyed by dairy farmers in different member states arising from the operation of the Community price support arrangements for milk. The variations in Community expenditure result from differences in the patterns of production, marketing and consumption of milk and milk products and in the technical support arrangements operated by individual member states — for example, some member states do not implement certain support measures, while others are reimbursed for intervention purchases or receive export refunds in respect of products produced elsewhere and transhipped.

ECU/Cow
Belgium 271
Denmark 424
France 196
Germany 297
Greece 37
Ireland 312
Italy 48
Luxembourg 59
Netherlands 539

Source: EC Commission Milk Marketing Board.