Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 17 Ebrill 1947.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual cost to the taxpayer of the subsidy on eggs.
About £31,750,000 in 1946–47, including dried eggs and egg products
Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether this amount is included in the food subsidies? Is he aware that if this subsidy was passed on to the producers, who take all the risks, he would get many more eggs? May I have an answer?
Can the figure be broken down to give the amount of subsidy for shell eggs?
Certainly; it is £16 million on home-produced eggs—that is shell eggs. The subsidy on imported eggs comes to £4.5 million, making a total of £20.5 million. On dried eggs and egg products, it is £11,250,000.
Will the right hon. Gentleman now consider trying to pass on some of this £16 million to the producers, and thereby get more eggs?