§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the increase in net farm income per dairy farm between 1979–80 and 1982–83 in real terms; and what effect this has had on the production of milk.
§ Mr. JoplingInformation on the change in net farm income per dairy farm in real terms between 1979–80 and 1982–83 is given in table 26 of the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1984" White Paper (Cmnd. 9137). Production of milk is affected not only by the level of farm income but by various other factors, notably the weather. Figures 263W for total sales of milk off farms in the United Kingdom are given in table 49 of "Dairy Facts and Figures 1983" published by the Federation of United Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards and available in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the years ended February 1981 and February 1982 the same information for dairy farms as is given in table 27 of the annual review White Paper for 1984, Cmnd. 9137, or such information as is available by reference to the size of operation; and
Farm Accounts: net farm income for Dairy farms. 1979–80 to 1982–83 (years ending February) Size of business Small Medium Large 4–7.9 ESU 8–15.9 ESU 4–15.9 ESU 16–39.9 ESU 40 ESU and over Country/Year Total Area (hectares) £ per farm Annual labour units Total Area (hectares) £ per farm Annual labour units Total Area (hectares) £ per farm Total Area (hectares) £ per farm Total Area (hectares) £ per farm England 1979–80 25 2,051 1.16 38 4,816 1.54 34 4,103 71 7,745 181 17,488 1980–81 26 3,104 1.12 38 5,565 1.53 35 4,930 72 8,959 185 19,014 1980–81 25 2,832 1.23 38 5,006 1.59 35 4,436 72 9,345 176 17,518 1981–82 26 3,533 1.25 38 6,411 1.64 35 5,656 72 12,093 178 22,518 1981–82 30 3,389 1.19 39 6,368 1.67 37 5,599 71 11,734 172 22,472 1982–83 30 4,300 1.15 39 7,631 1.70 37 6,771 71 13,734 174 29,891 Wales 1979–80 23 1,463 1.35 37 4,561 1.66 32 3,490 67 9,292 151 18,859 1980–81 23 1,737 1.30 37 4,399 1.64 32 3,479 68 10,279 156 20,062 1980–81 25 2,407 1.35 37 3,776 1.80 33 3,298 72 10,723 149 21,823 1981–82 25 2,443 1.37 38 6,172 1.76 33 4,869 73 12,853 149 27,263 1981–82 25 2,565 1.51 38 6,595 1.71 33 5,237 73 12,831 144 25,047 1982–83 26 2,125 1.50 40 8,683 1.72 35 6,474 74 14,928 145 30,975 Scotland 1979–80 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 73 2,265 155 6,275 1980–81 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 73 4,827 156 8,368 1980–81 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 75 5,082 158 7,753 1981–82 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 76 9,095 158 21,801 1981–82 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 77 7,797 147 21,922 1982–83 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 78 10,920 151 23,109 Northern Ireland 1979–80 30 424 1.46 39 2,392 1.63 35 1,210 62 8,067 n.a. n.a. 1980–81 30 458 1.35 40 2,999 1.55 35 1,743 64 9,710 n.a. n.a. 1980–81 26 242 1.20 39 3,877 1.51 33 2,005 66 9,483 n.a. n.a. 1981–82 27 3,038 1.16 40 7,593 1.48 34 5,393 68 16,594 n.a. n.a. 1981–82 28 3,061 n.a. 41 7,194 n.a. 35 3,827 65 14,897 n.a. n.a. 1982–83 28 3,857 n.a. 41 10,889 n.a. 35 7,598 67 20,396 n.a. n.a. Notes:
1. The figures are derived from identical samples of farms for pairs of years, each farm being classified by type of farming and size of business according to its stocking and cropping in the second year of each pair.
2. For size of business definitions see note (b) to table 27 of the White Paper "Annual Review of Agriculture" (Cmnd. 9137).
3. Annual labour units (ALU). These are the estimated number of full time worker equivalents of persons working on the holding during the year. One ALU represents the activity of a person working normal full-time hours throughout the year. Part time workers are converted to full-time equivalents in proportion to their actual working time relative to that of a full-time worker.
4. Total area includes rough grazing.
5. n.a. —Figures not available.
Source: Farm Management Surveys.
264Wif he will give a further breakdown of the figure for small farms to distinguish those which were almost entirely one-man units in each of the three years.
§ Mr. JoplingInformation on dairy farms, on the same basis as in table 27 of the "Annual Review of Agriculture" White Paper Cmnd. 9137 is as follows for the years ending February 1981, February 1982 and February 1983. Data are also shown separately for the two size groups which comprise the small farms category. It is not possible to distinguish those holdings which were one man units in each of the three years, but average annual labour units are shown in each case.
265W
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report the estimated return on capital employed in dairy farming for each of the categories specified in table 27 of the latest annual review White Paper, Cmnd. 9137.
§ Mr. JoplingThe estimated return on capital in 1982–83 derived by expressing management and investment income as a percentage of average tenants capital is as follows for the categories of dairy farm specified in table 27 of the "Annual Review of Agriculture" White Paper, Cmnd. 9137.
Estimated return on capital on dairy farms 1982–83 (year ending February 1983) Size of business Country Small per cent. Medium per cent. Large per cent. England 6 12 14½ Wales 6 14½ 18 Scotland * 8½ 14 Northern Ireland * * * * Figures not available. Notes:
1. Return on capital is defined as management and investment income as a proportion of average tenants capital, using data from the 1982–83 farm management survey. M and II is here defined provisionally as the value of total farm output including breeding livestock stock appreciation minus all inputs except salaries of paid management and interest on farming loans but including the manual labour input of farmers and their spouses.
2. See notes to tables 26 and 27 of annual review White Paper (Cmnd. 9137) for definition of business sizes.