Captain FABERasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he will state the number of persons employed in agriculture in 1871 and in 1901, and the acreage of wheat in those years in the United Kingdom?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe number of persons returned as "engaged in agriculture" in the Census Report for 1901 was 2,262,454, and it is estimated that 2,685,778 persons were so engaged in 1871; but owing to differences of classification in the three countries and changes between the two periods the figures are probably not strictly comparable. The acreage returned as under wheat was, in 1871, 3,818,848 acres, and in 1901 1,743,899 acres.