HL Deb 31 October 2001 vol 627 c166WA
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

With reference to EU Common Agricultural Policy funds that are allocated to the United Kingdom: (a) how much is allocated to England; (b) of that allocation how much is spent on the England rurual developmment plan; and (c) how that percentage compares with the amount spent by the other European Union countries. [HL883]

Lord Whitty

During the 2001 EU budget year, the UK received £2.47 billion in CAP receipts. Direct payments to farmers accounted for approximately 90 per cent of this. The rest related to expenditure on market support measures such as intervention storage and export refunds. Of the direct payment receipts, approximately £1.4 billion were in respect of England. Market support expenditure cannot be allocated to particular regions.

For the 2000–07 rural development programming period, the UK has been allocated 154 million euros of EU rural development funds per annum, which represents 3.5 per cent of the annual EU total of 4.3 billion euros. Of the UK allocation,50 per cent has been committed to the England Rural Development Programme.