HC Deb 19 March 1968 vol 761 c78W
Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the number of full-time farm businesses in Wales in each of the 10 years from 1958 to 1967.

Mr. Hoy

Taking an estimate of 275 standard-man-days as indicating the minimum size of a full time agricultural holding, the information is as follows:

Year Agricultural Holdings in Wales with an estimated labour requirement of 275 or more standard-man-days
1961 23,900
1962 23,800
1965 20,800
1966 20,200
1967 20,200

Comparable information is not available before 1961, or for the years 1963 and 1964 when no separate estimates for Wales were made.

In 1963 the standard-man-day factors used for the purpose of classifying holdings according to their labour requirements were revised, which reduced, by nearly 7 per cent. the estimate of the number of holdings requiring 275 or more standard-man-days in England and Wales as a whole.