HC Deb 26 January 1994 vol 236 cc263-5W
Mr. Hicks

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will provide details of the basis of the sample that her Department use for determining the national average incomes of hill farmers who are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory payments; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Jack

Details of the sample, which is part of that used in the farm business survey, together with notes on the

Full lime farm businesses at June 1991 census and in the complete 1990–91 to 1991–92 identical sample by country, farm type, size group and tenure
England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling %
Dairy
Small 5,504 49 0.9 1,854 28 1.5 142 6 4.2 3,558 106 3.0
Medium 11,274 225 2.0 2,364 88 3.7 1,187 40 3.4 2,015 92 4.6
Large 5,189 190 3.7 627 52 8.3 1,074 47 4.4 257 — —
All sizes 21,967 464 2.1 4,845 168 3.5 2,403 93 3.9 5,830 198 3.4
of which:
owned 9,796 168 1.7 2,833 102 3.6 1,753 64 3.7 5,830 198 3.4
tenanted 5,251 100 1.9 790 20 2.5 650 12 1.8 — — —
mixed tenure 6,920 196 2.8 1,222 46 3.8 — — — — — —
Hill and upland LFA livestock
Small 4,354 101 2.3 5,139 75 1.5 4,897 86 1.8 4,045 103 2.5
Medium 3,145 124 3.9 3,332 119 3.6 3,296 128 3.9 340 19 5.6
Large 1,033 25 2.4 683 37 5.4 953 49 5.1 34 — —
All sizes 8,532 250 2.9 9,154 231 2.5 9,146 263 2.9 4,419 122 2.8
of which:
owned 4,068 93 2.3 5,718 130 2.3 5,646 133 2.4 4,419 122 2.8
tenanted 1,994 73 3.7 1,220 24 2.0 3,500 95 2.7 — — —
mixed tenure 2,470 84 3.4 2,216 77 3.5 — — — — — —
Lowland livestock
Small 10,439 76 0.7 1,224 16 1.3 362 14 3.9 1,240 20 1.6
Medium 3,645 78 2.1 338 10 3.0 489 25 5.1 176 6 3.4
Large 1,121 36 3.2 76 2 2.6 237 12 5.1 24 — —
All sizes 15,205 190 1.2 1,638 28 1.7 1,088 51 4.7 1,440 26 1.8
of which:
owned 8,920 84 0.9 959 18 1.9 743 24 3.2 1,440 26 1.8
tenanted 2,616 44 1.7 300 5 1.7 345 19 5.5 — — —
mixed tenure 3,669 62 1.7 379 5 1.3 — — — — — —
Cropping
Small 9,295 46 0.5 — — — 774 8 1.0 443 — —
Medium 10,917 203 1.9 — — — 1,547 31 2.0 185 — —
Large 13,949 530 3.8 — — — 1,438 43 3.0 54 — —
All sizes 34,161 779 2.3 — — — 3,759 82 2.2 682 17 2.5
of which:
owned 14,233 268 1.9 — — — 2,336 50 2.1 682 17 2.5
tenanted 7,981 163 2.0 — — — 1,423 22 1.5 — — —
mixed tenure 11,947 348 2.9 — — — — — — — — —
Pigs and poultry
Small 1,812 28 1.5 — — — — — — — — —
Medium 1,595 38 2.4 — — — — — — — — —
Large 1,506 43 2.9 — — — — — — — — —
All sizes 4,913 109 2.2 — — — — — — — — —
of which:
owned 3,515 65 1.8 — — — — — — — — —
tenanted 506 11 2.2 — — — — — — — — —
mixed tenure 892 33 3.7 — — — — — — — — —

method and definitions used are set out each year in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the Library of the House. The latest published data relate to the 1991–92 survey; details of the 1992–93 survey will be published in March.

The survey is carried out by experienced field officers who are employed by universities and agricultural colleges. They visit a sample of 2,300 farmers throughout England and record a wide range of detailed physical and financial information about the farm business. The sample of farms covers all the different types and sizes of farm businesses in the country which are considered to be full-time. Such businesses account for 98 per cent. of agricultural activity in the country as a whole and 97 per cent. on farms wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas. Great care is taken in the analysis of the results to ensure that the averages produced fully reflect the distribution of full-time farms in the country. Similar surveys are carried out in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I am confident that the surveys are carried out to the highest professional standards and that they provide a fair reflection of trends in the income position of full-time farm businesses.

England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling % June 1991 Census 1991–92 Sample Sampling %
Horticulture
Small 3,481 68 2.0 — — — — — — — — —
Medium 1,212 56 4.6 — — — — — — — — —
Large 748 49 6.6 — — — — — — — — —
All sizes 5,441 173 3.2 — — — — — — — — —
of which:
owned 3,667 123 3.4 — — — — — — — — —
tenanted 673 12 1.8 — — — — — — — — —
mixed tenure 1,101 38 3.5 — — — — — — — — —
Total holdings
Small 34,963 368 1.1 8,217 119 1.4 6,175 114 1.8 9,458 246 2.6
Medium 31,829 724 2.3 6,034 217 3.6 6,519 224 3.4 2,765 126 4.6
Large 23,573 873 3.7 1,386 91 6.6 3,702 151 4.1 373 — —
All sizes 90,365 1,965 2.2 15,637 427 2.7 16,396 489 3.0 212,596 3372 3.0
of which:
owned 44,328 801 1.8 9,510 250 2.6 10,478 271 2.6 212,596 3372 3.0
tenanted 19,028 403 2.1 2,310 49 2.1 5,918 148 2.5 — — —
mixed tenure 27,009 761 2.8 3,817 128 3.4 — — — — — —
1 The data in this table relate to farm types and sizes sampled for the Farm Business Survey. The totals quoted are therefore slightly lower than the grand totals of full-time farm businesses.
2 Includes 225 mixed livestock farms not included in the breakdown.
3 Includes 9 mixed livestock farms not included in the breakdown.