§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many farmers have been the subject of receiving orders in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively, for each of the last 10 years; and whether he can provide this information for the first quarter of 1975.
Mr. Clinton DaviesThe numbers of receiving orders and orders of administration, under Section 130 of the Bankruptcy Act 1914, made in England and Wales, and of sequestration orders made in Scotland, against farmers, are as follows:
England and Wales Scotland 1965 187 7 1966 204 9 1967 205 10 1968 156 8 1969 197 10 1970 200 5 1971 172 3 1972 102 6 1973 69 5 1974 87 5 First quarter of 1975 (provisional) 30 nil 1,609 68 Statistics and other information relating to bankruptcies generally in England and Wales, including a full classification by trades, are contained in the Bankruptcy General Annual Reports for 1974 and previous years, copies of which are in the Library. An article covering insolvencies in England and Wales up to the end of the second quarter of 1975 appears in "Trade and Industry" for 1st August 1975.