asked the Minister for Agriculture if his Department spent its allocation for the 1985 financial year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Agricultural Vote.
124.
The amount voted for Agriculture for 1985 was £252 million and the provisional outturn of expenditure for the year was £225 million — a difference of £27 million. As an examination of the appropriation accounts will show, it is normal occurrence for all Votes to show unexpended allocations at the end of the year.
It should also be noted that, if the large number of claims under the weather damage relief schemes could have been dealt with before the end of 1985, £20 million of the £27 million would have been spent in that year instead of having to be met from the 1986 Vote.