Agriculture

HC Deb 22 May 1975 vol 892 cc551-2W

Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of agricultural holdings returning farmers, partners and directors—at the June agricultural census on the lines of table 63 of the latest volume for the "Digest of Welsh Agricultural Statistics"—for June of each year from 1971 onwards for Wales, and for each of the old counties in Wales;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the number of agricultural holdings returning whole-time farmers, partners and directors and (b) the number of agricultural holdings returning part-time farmers, partners and directors for June of each year from 1971, onwards for Wales;

(3) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of agricultural holdings and the number of farmers, partners, and directors, for June of each year from 1971 onwards for Wales, and for each of the old counties in Wales;

(4) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the proportion of all farmers, partners, and directors, and those who are whole-time and part-time, respectively, who are returned by agricultural holdings with fewer than 275 standard-man-days, between 275 and 600, and more than 600, respectively, in the latest year for which figures are available in Wales, and in each of the old counties in Wales.

Mr. John Morris

The information requested is not yet available for 1974 for Wales as a whole and will not become available for each of the old counties of Wales as statistics for 1974 were collected on the basis of the new counties. I am sending the hon. Member tables containing the information he seeks for 1971, 1972 and 1973 as these are too voluminous to publish in theOfficial Report.

Mr. Gwynfor Evans

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of independently occupied farm businesses, whole-time and part-time, excluding businesses which are run by persons already counted as the occupiers of other farm businesses in Wales and in each of the old counties of Wales, for each year from 1971 to date.

Mr. John Morris

I regret that the information on which to form such estimates is not available.