§ Major SALMONasked the Minister of Agriculture for the following information with regard to the Agricultural Returns: what is the yearly number sent out; what is the total number of staff required to deal with the returns; and what use is made of the information derived from the 83 questions?
Sir J. G ILMOURThe number of holdings exceeding one acre in respect of which returns are collected annually is 2031W about 400,000. The issue and collection of the schedules is undertaken as part of their duties by 311 crop reporters who are part time officers, while the tabulation is carried out by a temporary staff averaging 137 for a period of six weeks. A preliminary statement is issued early in August as soon as the tabulation is completed and a full report is published some months later in Part I of Agricultural Statistics. With regard to the last part of the question, reliable statistics are essential to a proper understanding of the social and economic problems affecting the industry.