§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost to an average family of the financial support paid to the farming industry in each of the last five years. [26471]
§ Mr. RookerDuring the most recent five years for which data are available, the cost of the Common Agricultural Policy in the UK is estimated to have been between £12 and £15 per week for a typical family of four. This consists of costs to consumers due to higher prices for food and expenditure by taxpayers. In addition, UK taxpayer expenditure on national agricultural policies was typically of the order of £1 per week for a family of four, although it was closer to £2 per week in 1996.
These estimates are based on calculations by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of total transfers resulting from agricultural policies in the European Union, with adjustments in respect of the abatement to the United Kingdom's contribution to the European budget.
The estimates are likely to overstate the savings which could be made by UK consumers and taxpayers if the CAP were removed; in the absence of support, world prices would be higher than at present.