HC Deb 07 December 1944 vol 406 cc761-2W
Mr. Salt

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can provide figures on an annual basis comparing war-time with pre-war agriculture as regards nutritional and monetary value of output, personnel engaged, and value of feeding stuffs and fertilizers, fuel and machinery imported and used.

Mr. Hudson

The publication of the figures requested by my hon. Friend is under consideration at the present time. I expect to be able to publish figures in the fairly near future for the monetary value of output and for personnel engaged, but I am not at present able to say when it will be possible to compile and publish the other figures requested.

Mr. Salt

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now give an approximate comparison between the annual value of the output per head of employers and employed in British agriculture at the present time and that of the output in the immediate pre-war period, such comparison being adjusted for the change in values between the two periods.

Mr. Hudson

No, Sir. I regret that my Department is not at present able to make calculations of the annual value of output per head in British agriculture in view of the difficulty of obtaining a common measure of work performed by a miscellaneous labour force of men and women, adults and juveniles, regulars and casuals.