§ 4.50 p.m.
§ Baroness Amos rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 12 February be approved.
§ The noble Baroness said: My Lords, the purpose of the order is to replace the Agricultural Statistics (Northern Ireland) Act 1939, which is considered to be no longer fit for purpose, and thereby improve the quality of agricultural statistics on which important decisions are based.
§ The UK is obliged by the EU to collect data on farmers and persons dependent on farming. The 1939 Act makes provision for the statutory collection of data on crops and livestock, some of which can be accessed through administrative sources, but not for the collection of information on social aspects such as the age of farmers or whether they have any diversification enterprises.
§ The provisions of the order will therefore require farmers in Northern Ireland to provide a more useful range of statistical information to the Department for 164 Agriculture and Rural Development, which will be invaluable in monitoring trends within the industry during the next decade. In particular, the order specifies: what information may be demanded; the circumstances under which individual information may be disclosed; and the penalties for non-compliance or for wrongful disclosure.
§ I can assure your Lordships that the order places no additional burden on farmers to provide information and imposes no additional cost on them or on the state. No objections to the order were raised during the 12-week consultation period. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 12 February be approved.—(Baroness Amos.)
§ Lord GlentoranMy Lords, I thank the Lord President of the Council for bringing the order to the House. First, I should declare an interest as a Northern Ireland farmer.
The order is very welcome. I understand that the Ulster Farmers' Union has welcomed it and I think that many others will. It certainly simplifies matters. It brings statistical collection from 1939 hopefully up to 2004. I am delighted to hear that there will be no increased cost.
In Northern Ireland, farming is a family business. The agriculture industry is arguably the biggest one that we have in Northern Ireland, but it is still operated on a family basis. Farms are worked by their owners and their families. The average farm used to be about 30 acres in size, but has probably increased to about 100 acres. Not so very long ago, the Ulster Farmers' Union brought a petition to Downing Street to complain about the impossibility for families to live off a farming income. Incomes fell so far in Northern Ireland during the foot and mouth and BSE outbreaks. Although they did not occur Northern Ireland, they affected the market adversely. I pay tribute to Brid Rodgers, who did a super job while she was in Stormont as the agriculture Minister during the foot and mouth crisis. For many years, the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland has been very much the friend of the farmer. Having spent a little time on the Front-Bench team of MAFF and Defra, I believe that this country has a lot to learn from the way in which agriculture has been managed in Northern Ireland. It is worth making that point on this occasion, but, overall, I welcome the order.
§ Baroness Harris of RichmondMy Lords, I too thank the Lord President for bringing the order before us. I echo the sentiments of the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran. It is an uncontroversial order. It would appear that extensive consultation has taken place, even to the extent of being posted on the web, on which I congratulate the Northern Ireland Office. There has been neither opposition nor amendment to the order. Therefore, we on these Benches fully support it.
§ Baroness AmosMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord and the noble Baroness for their comments and for 165 welcoming the order. I can assure the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, that there will be no increased cost. In fact, the number of forms that farmers have to fill out will be rationalised and the system will be simplified.
On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ Baroness Farrington of RibbletonMy Lords, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn during pleasure until 5.20 p.m.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
§ [The Sitting was suspended from 4.55 to 5.20 p.m.]