§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the recent trends in the number of hill farmers. [52114]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 24 July 1998]: The table sets out the number of farmers classified as being in the Less Favoured Area (LFA) of England from 1990 to 1997:
Year Full-time Part-time Total 1990 12,741 3,690 16,431 1991 12,437 3,965 16,402 1992 12,503 4,096 16,599 1993 12,514 4,334 16,848 1994 12,115 4,298 16,413 1995 11,713 4,030 15,743 1996 11,160 3,878 15,038 1997 10,738 3,859 14,597 Over the period 1990–1997 there has been a reduction in the number of full-time farmers and an increase in the number of part-time farmers in the English LFA. This trend is broadly consistent with the overall decline in the number of farmers in agriculture generally. Our aim is to contribute to the well-being of rural communities in upland areas by promoting a viable and sustainable farm sector. We will continue to pursue this aim with appropriate support for hill farmers.