§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in(a) England and (b) Wales received annual incomes from farming of (i) less than £4,999, (ii) £5,000 to £7,499, (iii) £7,500 to £9,999, (iv) £10,000 to £14,999, (v) £15,000 to £19,999 and (vi) £20,000, respectively, for the latest convenient year.
§ Mr. RyderI regret that this information is not available in the precise form requested. The farm business survey does, however, allow estimates to be made of the proportional breakdown of full-time farm businesses by income band. Information relating to the latest available year, 1987–88, is shown in the table.
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Percentage distribution of full-time farm businesses in England and Wales by net farm income: 1 2 All types of farm—1987–88 Level of net farm income England Wales3 Below £5,000 40 38 £5,000 to £7,499 8 13 £7,500 to £9,999 9 6 £10,000 to £14,999 11 14 £15,000 to £19,999 9 9 £20,000 and above 21 19 All income bands 100 100 1 Figures are derived from data collected in the farm business survey by universities and agricultural colleges in England and Wales. 2 Net farm income represents the return to the farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on tenant type capital in livestock, crops, machinery etc. but excluding land and buildings. It is calculated before the deduction of interest on any farming loans. All farms are treated as rented in the derivation of net farm income and an imputed rental value for owner-occupied land is charged as an expense in the accounts.
3 Figures for Wales relate to all dairy and livestock farms only.