§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of support per British pig since 1980 both in constant and current prices, identifying the proportion of that support met by public funds; and if he will estimate the proportion of that support directly translated into farm incomes.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe table shows the net public expenditure in the United Kingdom in the pigmeat sector and the size of the domestic pig population for each year since 1980. Pig producers did not receive any direct subsidies over this period support being confined to the provision of export refunds and payments for the short term private storage of pigmeat during times of market weakness.
Net expenditure £ million At current prices At constant 1988–89 forecast prices2 Population million head 1980–81 -16.7 -26.3 7.8 1981–82 -33.0 -47.4 7.8 1982–83 -39.8 -53.4 8.0 1983–84 -14.8 -19.0 8.2 1984–85 -10.6 -12.9 7.7 1985–86 -1.2 -1.4 7.9 1986–87 -2.4 -2.7 7.9 1987–88 -1.7 -1.8 8.0 1988–89 0.6 0.6 not known Source: Annual review of agriculture 1988.
1 Payments on export refunds and aids to private storage minus receipts from levies on Community trade arising from the application of pigmeat MCA's.
2 Expressed in 1988–89 prices using the forecast GDP deflator in market prices.