Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the statements made and interviews given by him during the month of October regarding the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 81],gave the following information:
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 20th October to a Question from him and to that which I gave on 23rd October to a Question from the hon. Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder). I made no further statements about Northern Ireland agriculture during October nor did I give any interviews on this subject.—[Vol. 898, c. 51 and 245.]
Mr. Wm Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in so far as Northern Ireland is concerned, has there been any departure from the policy outlined in the White Paper "Food from our own Resources" regarding the targets of 130W output and farm income, or the length of time involved in achieving those targets.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 81], gave the following information:
There has not been any departure from the policy outlined in the White Paper "Food from our own Resources".
Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of persons employed full-time in farming in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and what was the average income per head weekly and annually in each of these years.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 81], gave the following information:
The total numbers of full-time family and hired workers, male and female of all ages, at the June Agricultural Census in Northern Ireland in 1973, 1974 and 1975 are given below. Working owners of farms are not included.
June Census Full-time hired workers Full-time family workers 1973 4,239 9,671 1974 3,847 8,549 1975(preliminar) 3,256 7,752 Figures relating to the earnings of owners, their families or hired female workers are not available, but the average weekly and annual earnings of full-time male hired workers aged 20 and over for June-May years were:
June-May Year £/Week £/Year 1972–73 17.57 914 1973–74 23.45 1,219 1974–75 31.90 1,659