HC Deb 28 February 2000 vol 345 c17W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of subsidy payments to farmers for organic conversion in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since their inception; and if he will make a statement. [111411]

Ms Quin

Information at lower than county level is available only at disproportionate cost. At a county level, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 9 February 2000,Official Report, column 201W.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers received subsidy payments in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [111442]

Ms Quin

Information at below county level is available only at disproportionate cost. Information is held by agricultural holding. The number of holdings receiving subsidies in Shropshire is as follows:

Year Numbers
1992 681
1993 3,089
1994 3,595
1995 3,473
1996 3,551
1997 3,459
1998 3,413

The low figure for 1992 reflects the fact that the only subsidy available in that year was Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance.