§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of agricultural land is lost annually in England to other uses; and if he will specify with statistics the 784W principal uses for which such land has been used and required.
§ Mr. StrangThe following are estimates of the average annual net transfer of land out of agriculture in England by principal uses:
Thousand Acres Urban, industrial and recreational development, including mineral workings 36.8 Defence and other Government Departments 0.4* Forestry Commission and private woodlands 6.3 Land not previously recorded and other adjustments 22.3 Total 65.0 * Transfer to agriculture The estimates are based on acreage returned by farmers in the agricultural census at June each year between 1968–69 and 1972–73. They have been adjusted to discount changes in the coverage of the census.