HC Deb 31 July 1974 vol 878 cc257-8W
Mr. Newens

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what long-term planning of food production is carried out by his Department.

Mr. Peart

My Ministry continually monitors the trend in commodity supplies and prices and is currently seeking to assess the outlook for food supplies to 1985. In addition, we are having discussions with the farmers' unions and other interests on the long-term future of British agriculture and are preparing for the World Food Conference in Rome in November.

Mr. Knox

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of food production for each of the past 10 years in Great Britain.

Mr. Bishop

The estimated value at then current prices of the output of farm and horticulture crops, livestock and livestock products in Great Britain during the past nine years—June-May—is as follows:

£million
1964–65 1,510
1965–66 1,557
1966–67 1,608
1967–68 1,662
1968–69 1,697
1969–70 1,819
1970–71 1,933
1971–72 2,125
1972–73 2,438

The figures represent value at then current prices obtained by the farming industry from foodstuffs produced by commercially significant holdings in Great Britain. They exclude the value of materials sold out of the farming sector and then repurchased as seed and animal feed as well as non-food products such as flowers and wool. Figures are not available on a comparable basis for 1963–64.