asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in respect of the present year and the previous two years (a) the amount of State aid granted to agriculture (b) the estimated agricultural wage bill, excluding forestry and fishing and (c) the estimated portion of the State aid which was granted in aid of agricultural labour costs.
Written Answers. - State Aid to Agriculture.
232.
(a) State aid to agriculture. Table XIV of the Tables published in connection with the Financial Statement, 1962, showed State aid to agriculture from 1958-59. The figures given in respect of the financial year 1960-61 in that Table were final figures. The final figures in respect of 1961-62 and the estimated figures for 1962-63 on the basis of the original Estimates as affected by Supplementary Estimates and the Government announcement in relation to wheat losses, assuming the full amount thereof falls to be paid this year, are as follows :—
|
1961-62 |
1962-63 |
|
|
(Final) |
(Revised) |
|
|
£000 |
£000 |
|
|
Subsidies of final products: |
||
|
Butter and other milk products |
4,698 |
2,872 |
|
Wheat |
1,150 |
1,315 |
|
Bacon |
1,850 |
1,000 |
|
Bacon factory grants |
39 |
67 |
|
Subsidies to reduce production costs: |
||
|
Ground limestone |
493 |
570 |
|
Phosphatic fertilisers |
2,215 |
2,400 |
|
Potash |
503 |
600 |
|
Petrol |
36 |
33 |
|
Drainage, land reclamation and general improvement schemes: |
||
|
Arterial drainage |
1,083 |
1,612 |
|
Land Project |
2,064 |
2,208 |
|
Other drainage schemes |
5 |
— |
|
Improvement of Land Commission Estates |
640 |
716 |
|
Other improvement schemes |
440 |
475 |
|
Gaeltacht and Congested District Schemes |
188 |
211 |
|
Elimination of disease, livestock improvement, etc.: |
||
|
Bovine T.B. |
8,968 |
6,048 |
|
Pasteurisation plant |
39 |
40 |
|
A.I. milk production and livestock improvement |
63 |
75 |
|
Administration of improvement and regulatory Acts |
218 |
316 |
|
Grants towards farm buildings, etc.: |
||
|
Farm buildings and water supplies |
1,007 |
1,053 |
|
Poultry houses and equipment |
60 |
124 |
|
Orchard planting |
4 |
3 |
|
Education, research, advisory and technical services: |
||
|
Education |
477 |
545 |
|
Research |
623 |
808 |
|
Advisory services |
378 |
411 |
|
Rural organisations |
24 |
23 |
|
Technical services |
181 |
217 |
|
Departmental capital expenditure on land and buildings |
128 |
235 |
|
Land annuities: |
||
|
Halving of land annuities |
765 |
790 |
|
Bonus to vendors and other costs |
118 |
118 |
|
Relief of rates: |
||
|
Agricultural Grant |
5,849 |
8,595 |
|
Rural Electrification |
775 |
580 |
|
Capital for Agricultural Credit Corporation, Ltd. |
1,765 |
700 |
|
TOTALS |
36,846 |
34,760 |
NOTE.—Figures are not of appropriations in aid.
(b) The Agricultural Wage bill, excluding forestry and fishing but including employers' contribution to social security, is estimated at £18.9 million in the calendar year 1960 and at £18.4 million in 1961. An estimate in respect of 1962 is not available.
(c) The only direct and assessable content of the State aid which relates to agricultural labour costs as such is represented by the Employment Allowance portion of the Agricultural Grant which in 1960-61 and 1961-62 was £1,100,712 and £1,060,854 respectively. The estimated amount of the allowance for the current year is £940,000.