§ Mr. Owenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many workers have left the land in the County of Northumberland during the period 1951–61; and why this has happened.
Mr. VaneOn 4th December, 1960, there were 6,729 fewer regular whole-time agricultural workers on agricultural88W holdings in Northumberland than on 4th December, 1951. This is a reduction of 21 per cent. compared with 28 per cent. for England and Wales as a whole.
The main reasons for this reduction are probably the increasing mechanisation and efficiency of the industry.