§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) farmers and (b) holdings there were in (i) each region and (ii) less-favoured areas and non-less-favoured areas in Scotland in 1993.
§ Sir Hector MonroThe figures for main holdings at June 1993 are as follows:
Region Number of holdings Number of farmers Borders 1,740 1,346 Central 1,088 732 Dumfries and Galloway 3,022 2,434 Fife 1,047 785 Grampian 6,520 4,708 Highland 4,672 3,063 Lothian 1,137 720 Strathclyde 5,706 4,099 Tayside 2,904 2,087 Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles 4,256 2,796 Less Favoured Area1 20,692 15,081 Non Less Favoured Area 11,400 7,689 1Holdings where 50 per cent. or more of the land is classified LFA for subsidy purposes.
§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is(a) the amount of land in hectares in each region, (b) the number of farmers and (c) the cost of the five-year set-aside scheme in Scotland in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95: and if he will make a statement.
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§ Sir Hector MonroThe areas and numbers of farmers as reported and the aid paid to date under the five-year set-aside scheme in each region of Scotland in respect of 1993–94—that is, for the set-aside year ending on 30 September 1993—are as follows:
Region Number of farmers Area Hectares Amount paid £ Borders 44 2,219 348,309 Central 26 1,042 201,406 Dumfries and Galloway 7 115 20,938 Fife 34 1,327 173,398 Grampian 444 10,301 1,778,760 Highland and the Islands Councils 72 2,447 428,603 Lothian 23 1,025 208,185 Strathclyde 44 615 119,599 Tayside 118 4,675 711,533 TOTALS 812 23,766 3,990,731 Estimated expenditure for 1994–95 is some £2 million in respect of 350 set-aside agreements covering around
1993 1994 LFA (£/hectares) Non-LFA (£/hectares) LFA (£/hectares) Non-LFA (£/hectares) (a) cereals 114.0746 131.3893 156.9785 181.7817 (b) oilseeds 368.8521 445.6669 402.8383 489.3607 (c) proteins 296.5939 341.6122 291.5314 337.5946 (d) linseed1 (—) (—) (—) (—) (e) set-aside 205.3342 236.5008 255.6506 296.0445 set-aside reduced rate2 (—) (—) 179.4040 207.7505 (f) simplified scheme 114.0746 131.3893 156.9785 181.7817 1Linseed was not incorporated into the Arable Area Payments Scheme u Commission. 2There is a reduced payment rate for voluntary set-aside in excess of the applicant's cropped area; voluntary set-aside was not available in 1993.
§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 88, if he will now give (i) the number of hectares taken up and (ii) the number of holdings in Scotland in 1993 for (a) cereals, (b) potatoes, (c) linseed,
Cereals Poratoes Linseed Horticultural Crops Oilseeds Region Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Borders 838 53,179 139 1,791 27 406 105 1,341 220 6,787 Central 375 10,991 45 123 —1 —1 28 76 70 1,209 Dumfries and Galloway 902 16,804 92 365 0 0 34 36 21 401 Fife 681 37,495 260 2,633 10 175 147 2,639 294 6,339 Grampian 4,010 124,726 1,139 5,989 39 673 323 2,121 981 22,961 Higland 1,253 27,679 573 927 —1 —1 108 151 131 2,604 Lothian 618 35,853 138 2,069 —1 —1 116 1,016 185 4,213 Strathclyde 1,303 21,046 310 933 —1 —1 172 342 22 286 Tayside 1,758 78,591 1,048 11,451 32 513 496 5,473 714 15,092 Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles 1,014 4,191 1,012 317 —1 —1 185 51 7 33 1Less than 5 holdings. Figures for sugar beet are not collected.
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Cereals Potatoes Linseed Horticultural Crops Oilseeds Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (Ha) Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Holdings Area (ha) Less Favoured Area1 5,974 96,175 2,213 2,403 30 530 467 955 332 5,614 Non Less Favoured Area 6,778 314,381 2,543 24,196 89 1,370 1,247 12,290 2,313 54,311 1Holdings where 50 per cent. or more of the land is classified less favoured area for subsidy purposes. 12,000 hectares. It is not possible to give a regional breakdown as the 1994–95 payments will not commence until after the claims have been received in respect of the set-aside year which ends on 30 September 1994. The difference between the 1993–94 and 1994–95 figures is the result of some farmers having completed their five-year agreements and others having taken advantage of the option to terminate agreements early in order to join the arable area payments scheme.
§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will give the payment rates made per hectare under the arable area payments scheme for(a) cereals, (b) oilseeds, (c) proteins, (d) linseed, (e) set-aside and (f) the simplified scheme paid in (i) the first year and (ii) the second year of the scheme in both the less-favoured area and the non-less favoured area of Scotland.
§ Sir Hector MonroThe payment rates per hectare in Scotland for the first and second year of the scheme are set out below. The actual rates payable in 1994 may be reduced if base areas are exceeded and the rate for oilseeds may be adjusted to reflect changes to the reference price.
(d) sugar beet, (e) horticultural produce and (f) oilseeds in each region and in the less-favoured area and non-less-favoured areas.
§ Sir Hector MonroThe figures for main holdings at June 1993 are as follows:
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§ Mr. TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the take-up of the arable area payments scheme in hectares for(a) the simplified scheme, (b) cereals, (c) oilseeds, (d) proteins, (e) linseed and (f) set-aside in (i) the less-favoured areas and (ii) the non-less-favoured areas in Scotland for 1994.
§ Sir Hector MonroOfficials are currently analysing claims made in 1994 by Scottish farmers under the arable area payments scheme. Until this analysis is complete, it is not possible to determine what this year's uptake has been.