HC Deb 27 July 1961 vol 645 cc67-8W
Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the figures showing the number of farms, with the average income per farm and average acreage, in the years 1945, 1950, 1955 and 1960, respectively, in North Staffordshire.

Mr. Soames

The numbers and average acreages of agricultural holdings in North Staffordshire for the years in question were as follows:

— No. of holdings over one acre in N. Staffordshire Average acreage per holding
1945 … 3,921 43.3
1950 … 3,956 42.6
1955 … 3,888 42.7
1960 … 3,628 45.3

Not all of these holdings are full-time farms: many provide only part-time or spare-time employment.

I have no information about average incomes on farms generally in North Staffordshire. Figures relating to a small number of dairy farms in the North-West Derbyshire and North-East Staffordshire type of farming district are published annually in the Farm Income Series of reports based on the Farm Management Survey, but the smallness of the sample does not permit of satisfactory comparison over the period in question.