§ Mr. Brian Parkynasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present average acreage of farms in England and Wales; and how this compares with the figure for 1960.
§ Mr. John MackieThe figures, which relate to agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in extent, are as follows:
Based on 1969 (acres) 1960 (acres) Crops, Grass and Rough Grazing 111 80 Crops and Grass only 99 71 The 1969 figures are based on a holding count which excludes some 47,000 holdings with a small acreage and a negli-
320Wtable which also cover deaths in the near water fishing fleet.
gible agricultural output, which were removed from the agricultural census records in 1968. Had these holdings been excluded in 1960, it is estimated that the average size of farms in that year would have been 91 acres (based on crops, grass and rough grazing) or 80 acres (based on crops and grass).