Agricultural levy funding
The levy receipts go to the Exchequer and contribute to agricultural education, advice and research, but are not directly matched to that spending; the Minister said they reduce the amount otherwise required from taxpayers.
asked the Minister for Finance if the 2 per cent levy on agricultural products will be used to finance agricultural education, advice and research as indicated in the Budget Statement, and if so, how.
Comment on this
Receipts from the levy will be paid into the Exchequer and will accordingly make a contribution towards financing educational advice and research services for agriculture which would have to be met otherwise by taxpayers in general.
Comment on this
Will the Minister confirm that there will be no direct link between the amount paid through the levy and the amount spent on agricultural education, advice and research and that if that is the case, that is in direct contradiction of the impression given by the Minister in his Budget Statement?
Comment on this
The answer to the first and second parts of the Deputy's supplementary question is no. The 1979 estimate of expenditure on education, research, advisory and inspection services is £31.5 million and the estimated yield from the levy is £12 million so there cannot be a direct link but, as I have indicated, if this money were not collected there would be a corresponding demand on the taxpayers in general.
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