§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the contribution made by the average UK family to the CAP by(a) contributions made through tax, (b) increases in prices and (c) other means in the last 12 months. [62535]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 17 June 2002]: Individuals in the UK contribute to the CAP as consumers through higher food prices and as taxpayers through CAP direct support payments.
We estimate that, in 2000, a notional UK family of four paid £4–£5 per week in higher food prices as a result of the CAP. UK taxpayers do not contribute specifically to the CAP; rather they contribute to the EU budget as a whole. Total EU payments in 2000 were approximately £51 billion (euro 83 billion), of which around £25 billion (euro 40.5 billion) was spent under the CAP. The UK currently provides around 13.5 per cent. of total budgetary contributions.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much subsidy was received in the last 12 months per head of UK dairy cattle through the CAP. [62533]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 17 June 2002]: Market price support in the UK dairy sector was equivalent to around £900 million in 2000, the latest year for which data is available. In addition the dairy sector will have received a substantial share of the £260 million paid to livestock producers through the Over Thirty Month Scheme. The agricultural census undertaken in June 2000 records 2.3 million dairy cows in the UK.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of common agricultural policy funding went to UK farmers broken down by(a) under eight European size units, (b) eight to 39 ESUs, (c) 40 to 99 ESUs, (d) 100 to 199 ESUs and (e) 200 and over ESUs in the last 12 months. [62536]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 17 June 2002]: Exact data on payments under the CAP in the UK cannot be stratified according to the size of farm, e.g. in terms of European size units. The farm business survey provides estimates of direct subsidy receipts for the average farm in England. The latest estimates are given in the following table.
All direct grants and subsidies1, England 2000–01 £per farm All form types 8–39 ESU 10,200 40–99 ESU 19,900 100 and above ESU 46,300 1Average per farm The farm business survey excludes farms smaller than eight ESUs. These estimates include all grants and 481W subsidies received, including some nationally funded schemes. They represent only direct payments to farmers. They do not include the additional support that farmers receive from the consumer, through CAP market support policies.