HC Deb 16 April 1940 vol 359 c801W
Mr. Parker

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state for 1937–38 and 1938–39 the average gazette price of home-grown wheat, the average quota payment per sack of flour of 280 lb., and the aggregate acreage and estimated pro-

Year (1st September to 31st August). Gazette Average Price per cwt. Quota Payment per sack of Flour of 280 lb. Acreage in United Kingdom.* Estimated Production in United Kingdom.*
s. d. s. d. 000 acres. 000 tons.
1937–38 … … 8 1 1 2.37†‡ 1,836 1,509
1938–39 … … 4 6 5 5.88‡ 1,928 1,965
*The acreage and production refer to the crops harvested in 1937 and 1938 respectively.
† Year ended 31st July.
‡ Quota payments were suspended between 1st August, 1937 and 19th September, 1937.

Mr. A. Edwards

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average cost of labour per acre of raising wheat; and the average cost per acre for rent of land used for raising wheat?

Sir R. Dorman-Smith

The cost per acre of wheat growing varies widely from farm to farm and I am unable to give any figures of the kind requested. From information in my possession, however, it would appear that the proportion of the cost of production of wheat in a normal year attributable to direct or indirect labour costs is, on an average, about 30 per cent. As regards the second part of the Question, I have no information about the rent of land used for growing particular crops.