§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which English counties are grouped together for the purposes of compiling the annual farm business survey; and which universities and colleges are commissioned to carry out the survey for each group.
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§ Mrs. ShephardAppendix 4 of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom" provides a list of the centres engaged in the collection of data for the Farm Business Survey. The table shows the counties and districts allocated to each centre.
Province County Northern Cumbria Newcastle Durham Tyne and Wear MC Northumberland North Eastern Clevland Askham Bryan South Yorkshire MC North Yorkshire West Yorkshire Humberside (excluding South Humberside) North Western Cheshire Manchester Lancashire Merseyside MC Greater Manchester MC Shropshire Staffordshire East Midland Derbyshire Nottingham Leicestershire Lincolnshire (excluding Holland) Northamptonshire Nottinghamshire (South Humberside only) Eastern Bedfordshire Cambridge Cambridgeshire Essex Hertfordshire Holland (Lincolnshire) Norfolk Suffolk Greater London (East) South Eastern Kent Wye Surrey East Sussex West Sussex Southern Berkshire Reading Buckinghamshire Hampshire Isle of Wight Oxfordshire Greater London (West) Gloucester Hereford and Worcester Avon Warwickshire Wiltshire West Midlands MC South Western Cornwall Exeter Devon Dorset Somerset Scilly Isles
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers were entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances for each farm business survey county group in each year since 1992 and in 1994.
§ Mrs. ShephardThe table provides information on the number of claims paid in 1992 and 1993 corresponding to the areas covered by each of the FBS provinces. Information for 1994 is not available.562W
Number of HLCA claims paid FBS Province 1992 Number 1993 Number Northern 4,529 4,434 North Eastern 3,034 3,006 North Western 2,899 2,896 East Midland 938 938 Southern 425 427 South Western 2,701 2,608 ENGLAND 14,526 14,309
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average net farm income of farmers and their spouses for(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group, of all (i) SDA, (ii) DA, and (iii) less-favoured area farms and for (1) SDA, (2) DA farms and (3) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs.
§ Mrs. ShephardInformation on farm incomes is available from the Farm Business Survey which collects data from a sample of farms classified as full time—that is with eight ESU or more. The sample for the Farm Business Survey is intended to provide estimates for three regions of England. The results for individual FBS provinces are liable to larger margins of error than for these regions and results are not available for individual counties. For those provinces for which there is a large enough sample for some average results to be provided, the following table provides weighted estimates of the net farm income for farms classified as cattle and sheep, less-favoured area, for the 1992–93 accounting year. Comparable information for farms with less than eight ESU is not available.
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Cattle and Sheep LFA farms by FBS province Net farm income for farms of 8 ESU and over 1992–93 accounting year FBS Province and farm type Estimated net farm income (£'000 per farm) Northern Newcastle Specialist Sheep (SDA) 20.1 Specialist Beef (SDA) 1n/a Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 18:.9 All Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 18.8 Cattle and Sheep (DA) n/a Cattle and Sheep (LFA) 17.7 Nort Eastern Askham Bryan Specialist Sheep (SDA) n/a Specialist Beef (SDA) n/a Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA) n/a All Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 20.1 Cattle and Sheep (DA) n/a Cattle and Sheep (LFA) 20.1 North Western Manchester Specialist Sheep (SDA) n/a Specialist Beef (SDA) n/a Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 18.1 All Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 15.7 Cattle and Sheep (DA) n/a Cattle and Sheep (LFA) 10.8 South Western Exeter Specialist Sheep (SDA) n/a Specialist Beef (SDA) n/a
FBS Province and farm type Estimated net farm income (£'000 per farm) Mixed Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 11.9 All Cattle and Sheep (SDA) 9.9 Cattle and Sheep (DA) 4.8 Cattle and Sheep (LFA) 7.3 1 n/a not available, sample size too small to provide results for individual farm type and province.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value of less-favoured area farming to the economy of(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group.
§ Mrs. ShephardI regret that the information requested is not available.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value in actual and real terms of all livestock subsidies to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs, for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group in (1) 1992, (2) 1993 and (3) 1994.
§ Mrs. ShephardI regret that detailed information on the subsidies paid to less-favoured area farms is not separately available.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total value in actual terms and real terms of HLCA payments to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farm area farms larger than eight ESUs for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group in (1) 1992, (2) 1993 and (3) 1994.
§ Mrs. ShephardThe table shows the total HLCA payments on all farms in each county and Farm Business Survey province for 1992 and 1994. Information on payments is not separately available for farms larger than eight ESU and information for 1994 is not yet complete.
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HLCA payments in 1992 and 1993 FBS province and county 1992 Actual 1993 Actual 19931 Real 1992 prices £ £ £ East Midland Derbyshire 1,492,600 1,335,369 1,314,489 1,492,600 1,335,369 1,314,489 North Eastern Cleveland 63,938 61,192 60,236 Yorkshire 7,149,782 6,098,286 6,002,933 7,213,720 6,159,479 6,063,168 North Western Lancashire 2,057,098 1,776,157 1,748,385 Cheshire 286,871 235,269 231,590 Shropshire 1,695,346 1,579,925 1,555,221 Staffordshire 530,327 496,802 489,034 Greater Manchester 237,922 270,279 266,053 4,807,564 4,358,433 4,290,284 Northern Cumbria 9,280,801 7,745,413 7,624,304
FBS province and county 1992 Actual 1993 Actual 19931 Real 1992 prices £ £ £ Tyne and Wear 5,181 9,780 9,627 Northumberland 6,026,492 5,143,321 5,062,899 Durham 2,413,715 2,184,100 2,149,949 17,726,189 15,082,613 14,846,780 South Western Somerset 1,283,182 1,049,116 1,032,711 Cornwall 1,161,666 1,101,137 1,083,920 Devon 3,824,839 3,567,201 3,511,424 Scilly Isles 1,899 1,646 1,620 6,271,586 5,719,099 5,629,675 Southern Hereford and Worcester 861,934 758,535 746,674 861,934 758,535 746,674 ENGLAND 38,373,593 33,413,528 32,891,070 1Deflated by the retail prices index, all items.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial value in actual and real terms has been removed from the value of HLCA payments to(a) all less-favoured area farms and (b) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group following the cuts in HLCAs in (1) 1993 and (2) 1994.
§ Mrs. ShephardThe total change in the value of HLCA payments to farmers in the less favoured areas of England between 1992 and 1993 was -£4,960,065 divided among the counties and FBS provinces with LFA land as shown in the table. Information in respect of businesses larger than eight ESU is not available and information for 1994 is not yet complete.
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Change in HLCA payments between 1992 and 1993 FBS Province and County Change in payments between 1992 and 1993 Actual Real 1992 prices1 £ £ East Midland Derbyshire -157,231 -178,111 -157,231 -178,111 North Eastern Cleveland -2,746 -3,702 Yorkshire -1,051,495 -1,146,849 -1,054,241 -1,150,551 North Western Lancashire -280,940 -308,712 Cheshire -51,603 -55,281 Shropshire -115,421 -140,125 Staffordshire -33,525 -41,293 Greater Manchester 32,357 28,131 -449,131 -517,280 Northern Cumbria -1,535,389 -1,656,497 Tyne and Wear 4,599 4,446 Northumberland -883,171 -963,592 Durham -229,616 -263,766
FBS Province and County Change in payments between 1992 and 1993 Actual Real 1992 prices1 £ £ -2,643,576 -2,879,409 South Western Somerset -234,067 -250,471 Cornwall -60,529 -77,746 Devon -257,638 -313,415 Scilly Isles -253 -279 -552,487 -641,911 Southern Hereford and Worcester -103,399 -115,260 -103,399 -115,260 England -4,960,065 -5,482,523 1 Deflated by the RPI all items
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Estimated number of workers in 1992 Number of full-time workers on agricultural holdings1 Total work force in employment2 English county On all agricultural holdings On agricultural holdings wholly or mainly in the LFA Avon 2,986 0 460,000 Bedfordshire 2,291 0 263,000 Berkshire 1,440 0 373,000 Buckinghamshire 2,744 0 373,000 Cleveland 742 207 223,000 Cambridgeshire 6,718 0 320,000 Cheshire 7,522 257 451,000 Cornwall (including Isles of Scilly) 9,668 1,729 199,000 Cumbria 10,321 4,285 233,000 Derbyshire 5,560 1,930 426,000 Devon 15,827 3,489 466,000 Dorset 5,328 0 289,000 Durham 3,394 1,762 254,000 Essex 7,034 0 721,000 Gloucestershire 5,017 0 257,000 Hampshire 6,232 0 760,000 Humberside 7,896 0 371,000 Hereford and Worcester 10,420 484 338,000 Hertfordshire 2,416 0 494,000 Isle of Wight 870 0 55,000 Kent 8,442 0 718,000 Lancashire 9,706 2,528 641,000 Leicestershire 4,620 0 425,000 Lincolnshire 13,871 0 287,000 Merseyside 936 0 554,000 Greater London 837 0 2,946,000 Greater Manchester 2,090 460 1,102,000 Norfolk 11,359 0 354,000 Northamptonshire 3,268 0 299,000 Northamberland (including Tyne and Wear MC) 4,956 2,652 574,000 Nottinghamshire 3,747 0 458,000 Oxfordshire 3,905 0 287,000 Shropshire 8,218 1,094 196,000 Somerset 8,218 1,094 196,000 Staffordshire 6,792 1,248 495,000 Suffolk 7,943 0 303,000 Surrey 3,099 0 495,000 East Sussex 2,989 0 301,000 West Sussex 4,963 0 334,000 West Sussex 3,930 0 234,000 Warwickshire 5,455 0 278,000 Wiltshire 5,455 0 278,000 West Midlands 682 0 1,055,000 South Yorkshire 2,315 401 546,000 North Yorkshire 15,549 3,799 362,000
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people including farmers, spouses and workers are employed full time in(a) all farming and (b) less-favoured area farming for (i) each English county and (ii) each farm business survey county group; and how employment related to less favoured area farming ranks in terms of other classes of industrial employment for (1) each English county and (2) each farm business survey county group.
§ Mrs. ShephardThe table provides estimates of the number of full-time workers, including all spouses, on all agricultural holdings and on those holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas as recorded in the agricultural census at June 1992. Also supplied are estimates of the total employment as recorded in the Department of Employment's Labour Force Survey.
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Number of full-time workers on agricultural holdings1 Total work force in employment2 English county On all agricultural holdings On agricultural holdings wholly or mainly in the LFA West Yorkshire 4,267 1,485 944,000 FBS province Eastern 43,079 0 32,455,000 East Midland 27,773 1,930 411,895,000 Nothern 18,671 8,699 1,061,000 North Eastern 29,110 5,892 52,446,000 North Western 35,264 5,587 3,439,000 Southern 44,150 484 67,360,000 South Eastern 19,493 0 1,848,000 South Western 39,587 5,757 1,166,000 ENGLAND 257,127 28,349 21,670,000 1Includes whole time farmers, partners and directors, all spouses, salaried managers and regular whole time hired and family workers, excludes minor holdings. 2 The estimates of the total work force (full and part time) in employment from Department of Employment Labour Force Survey, June-August 1992. 3Excluding Holland (Lincs) and Greater London (E). 4Excluding South Humberside and including all of Lincolnshire. 5Including all of Humberside. 6Including all of Greater London.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average age of less-favoured area farmers in(a) each English county and (b) each farm business survey county group.
§ Mrs. ShephardThe Farm Structure Survey 1990 contains information on the age of the holder of the farm by age band for a sample of about 40,000 holdings in England. The table provides estimates of the average age of holder based on analysis of this age band data for farms which are wholly or mainly in the less favoured area. The Farm Business Survey also collects data on the age of the holder from a smaller sample of holdings. The average age of holder in England in 1992–93 on holdings wholly and mainly in the less favoured areas, based on this source, was 51.
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Estimated average of the holder of farms wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas in 19901 FBS province and county2 Estimated average age of holder East Midland Derbyshire 52 52 Northern Cumbria 51 Durham 54 Northumberland 51 52 North Eastern Cleveland 54 North Yorkshire 52 South Yorkshire 49 West Yorkshire 52 52 North Western Cheshire 52 Greater Manchester 53 Lancashire 52 Shropshire 53 Staffordshire 53 53
FBS province and county2 Estimated average age of holder Southern Hereford and Worcester 54 54 South Western Cornwall 53 Devon 54 Isles of Scilly 47 Somerset 53 54 England 52 52 Farm Structure Survey 1990 1The holder of the farm is the person legally or economically responsible for the holding. 2 Only those counties which contain holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less-favoured area are shown.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average level of indebtedness of all(a) SDA, (b) DA and (c) less-favoured area farms and for (i) SDA, (ii) DA and (iii) less-favoured area farms larger than eight ESUs for (1) each English county and (2) each farm business survey county group.
§ Mrs. ShephardInformation on farm indebtedness is available from the Farm Business Survey which collects data from a sample of farms classified as full time—that is, with eight ESU or more. The sample for the Farm Business Survey is intended to provide estimates for three regions of England. The results for individual FBS provinces are liable to larger margins of error than for these regions and results are not available for individual counties. For those provinces for which there is a large enough sample for average results to be provided, the table provides weighted estimates of the total external liabilities and total external liabilities as a percentage of total assets for farms classified 569W as cattle and sheep LFA for the 1992–93 accounting year. Comparable information for farms with less than eight ESU is not available.
Cattle and sheep (LFA) farms by FBS province Total liabilities and net worth for farms of eight ESU and over 1992–93 accounting year FBS province and farm type Estimated total external liabilities (£000 per farm) Estimated total external liabilities as a Percentage of total assets Northern Newcastle Specialist sheep (SDA) 20.1 9.0 Specialist beef (SDA) 1n.a. n.a. Mixed cattle and sheep (SDA) 41.8 12.0 All cattle and sheep (DA) 34.0 11.0 Cattle and sheep (DA) n.a n.a Cattle and sheep (LFA) 32.7 11.0 North Eastern Asham Bryan Specialist sheep (SDA) n.a. n.a. Specialist beef (SDA) n.a. n.a. All cattle and sheep (SDA) 42.6 14.0 Cattle and sheep (DA) n.a. n.a. Cattle and sheep (LFA) 42.6 14.0 North western Manchester Specialist sheep (SDA) n.a. n.a Specialist beef (SDA) n.a. n.a. Mixed cattle and sheep (SDA) 27.4 8.0 All cattle and sheep (SDA) 25.4 8.0 Cattle and sheep (DA) n.a. n.a. Cattle and sheep (LFA) 21.5 7.0 South Western Exeter
Year 1964 1973 1979 Basis for measurement of size 1963 SMD 1968 SMD 1976 SMD 1972–1974 ESU Threshold for "full-time" farm 275 SMD 275 SMD 250 SMD 14 ESU Minimum number of either: beef cows 261 266 362 437 or ewes 3219 3314 3395 4400 1Four ESU was used as the lower size unit in conjunction with a requirement that farms must also have at least one annual labour unit. 2 Assuming 0.5 hectares of permanent grass and 1.25 hectares of rough grazing per beef cow. 3 Assuming 0.05 hectares of permanent grass and 0.125 hectares of rough grazing per ewe. 4Assuming one lamb per ewe.