HC Deb 02 July 1963 vol 680 cc41-3W
Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the income of a farmer on a 100 acre farm or under compares with the average wage of a farm worker.

ful applicants for commissions in the period 1952–1962; how many of these candidates were educated at independent public schools, direct grant schools, and state schools, respectively; and what percentage of the whole these numbers constitute, respectively.

Mr. Hay

The following tables give information about successful applicants for General List and Royal Marine commissions in the period 1954–1962. Records for the previous two years are not readily available.

Details of the schools of supplementary and special duties lists, and instructor, medical and dental branches entrants, are not held centrally and cannot readily be provided.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Farmers' incomes, even on a given size of farm, vary considerably according to the quality of the land, the type of farming, the level of management, and other factors. The latest information for England and Wales, provided by the Farm Management Survey, relates to 1961–62, when the average net income for all farms up to 100 acres in the Survey was £851 per farm.

The average weekly earnings of hired regular full-time adult male farm workers in England and Wales in 1961–62 were 220s. 6d., the equivalent of £573 per year.

Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present level of farmers' incomes; and whether he will publish a table setting forth their incomes relevant to the acreage of their farms.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

The level of aggregate farm net income in the United Kingdom forecast for 1962–63 is £408 million, or £407 million when adjusted to normal weather conditions. Information about farm incomes according to size and type of farm is provided by the Farm Management Survey for England and Wales and I would refer my hon. Friend to the table given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torrington (Mr. P. Browne) on 30th May. This gave figures for 1960–61 and 1961–62, the latest available year.