§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will set out the considerations underlying the recent cuts in funding for less-favoured areas; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 16 December 1993]: Despite the reduction in hill livestock compensatory allowances 60W over the last three years, overall levels of direct subsidies from all sources to hill farmers have increased, and total payments of direct subsidies in 1994 are expected to be at least £550 million. The decision to reduced the rates payable under the 1994 hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme was taken as part of the autumn review of economic conditions in the hills and uplands. This showed that net farm incomes of hill farmers have risen by 33 per cent. in real terms during 1992–93 and are forecast to rise by a further 28 per cent. in the next year. A copy of the statistical tables which formed the basis of the review is in the Library of the House. The rates of grant available under the farm and conservation grant scheme 1989 have been reduced in the light of progress in reducing pollution incidents resulting from farm wastes and the development of other schemes addressing particular environmental concerns.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the average(a) single man's, (b) single woman's, (c) married man's and (d) married woman's personal income as chargeable for income tax from self-employment in the capacity as a hill farmer in the less-favoured areas of the United Kingdom for each year since 1979 in both nominal and real terms;
(2) what proportion of self employed male hill farmers in the less-favoured areas in the United Kingdom claimed the married man's tax allowance in the tax year prior to the change over to the independent method of assessing taxation and in the tax year for which the most recent figures are available;
(3) what is the average income from self-employment as assessed for tax for farmers in the less-favoured areas of the United Kingdom for each year since the 1981–82 tax year;
(4) what was the average personal income of a (a) single man, (b) single woman, (c) married man and (d) married woman hill farmer in the less-favoured areas of the United Kingdom as chargeable to income tax from all sources other than self-employment in farming for each year since 1979 in both nominal and real terms.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 17 December 1993]: The Inland Revenue's survey of personal incomes provides information on the income as assessed for tax from a sample of persons with an income from agriculture. It is not, however, possible to analyse this data for farms of particular types or for farmers in the less-favoured areas. I regret, therefore, that the information requested is not available.
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what according to(a) the most up-to-date and comprehensive data she has available and (b) the farm business survey, was the average number of (1) beef cows and (2) ewes, carried on less-favoured areas livestock farms, by county and in England.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 16 December 1993]: The following table provides information on the average number of beef cows and ewes on cattle and sheep farms, wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas in England from the agricultural census as at June 1992. As the farm business survey covers only farms which are considered to be full time commercial businesses, very small farms are excluded from the survey. The farm business survey records the average number of livestock on the holding throughout the year. The average numbers of beef cows 61W and ewes on cattle and sheep—LFA —farms in England estimated from the farm business survey in 1992–93 were 30 and 456 respectively. This compares with averages as at June 1992 of 30 and 420 respectively for similar farms in the agricultural census. Results from the farm business survey are not available by county.
Average number of animals on cattle and sheep farms, wholly or mainly in the LFA as at June 1992 County Beef cows Ewes Cleveland 10 115 Cheshire 10 243 Cornwall 20 114 Cumbria 20 407 Derbyshire 12 158 Devon 20 202 Durham 23 290 Hereford and Worcester 15 267 Lancashire 12 224 Northumberland 40 441 Shropshire 22 292 Somerset 26 399 Staffordshire 12 72 Greater Manchester 10 123 South Yorkshire 19 168 North Yorkshire 17 351 West Yorkshire 10 101 England 19 271