§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of the common agricultural policy per citizen in the European Union in each year since 1973. [16131]
§ Mr. JackThe only readily available estimates of the total transfers to agriculture from consumers and taxpayers in the European Community are those based on analysis by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The information, which is available only on an annual basis from 1986 and as a three-year average back to 1979, is given in the table:
847W
Year Total transfers billion ECUs 1979–81 57 1983–85 58 1986 105 1987 104 1988 102 1989 92
Year Total transfers billion ECUs 1990 104 1991 116 1992 111 1993 116 Notes:
The estimates relate to the EC Twelve except for the period 1979–85 when they relate to the EC10. The ex-GDR is included from 1990.
Source:
OECD, Agricultural Policies and Trade, annual.
It should be noted that these estimates are likely to overstate the true cost of the CAP because the consumer cost element is based on the difference between EC producer prices and world prices. In the absence of support, world prices would almost certainly be higher.
Estimates of population are given in the EUROSTAT's "Basic Statistics of the Community", copies of which are in the Library of the House.