HC Deb 09 December 1929 vol 233 c54W
Viscount LYMINGTON

asked the Minister of Agriculture the financial result of the working of the Government training farm at Bulford and Amesbury, in the Salisbury Plain district; the cost of management of this farm; and the number of men who have received training at the farm?

Mr. N. BUXTON

The accounts of the Amesbury Profit-sharing Farm Settlement, which is not correctly described as a training farm, comprise an estate or landlord's account, and a farming or tenant's account. The accumulated loss on the estate account for the 10 years ended 31st March last was £53,139, but this sum includes £36,000 interest on Exchequer advances towards the purchase and equipment of the property; £4,879 for headquarters administration expenses, and £9,095 for depreciation. The farming account showed a loss of £12,255, for the same period, but of this sum 22,135 is due to the distribution, in accordance with the profit-sharing scheme, of profits made in 1919 and 1924. Charges amounting to £16,316 are included in respect of management and interest on Exchequer advances for farming purposes. Excluding these charges the net profit for the period, reckoned according to the ordinary methods of farm accounting, was £6,796, i.e., about £680 a year. The cost of management, including a share of headquarters officers' salaries, is £980 a year. The number of persons permanently employed on the farm is 49, while in addition there are 10 smallholders who are farming independently.