§ Mr. Cormackasked the Minister of Agrculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of agricultural land were lost to industrial, commercial, urban expansion and other uses during 1975 and 1976, respectively.
468W
§ Mr. StrangI regret that the information is not available in these precise terms.
For the six-year period ending in June 1975, the latest period for which information is available, the annual average net transfer of land out of agriculture in England and Wales by principal uses is estimated to be:
Thousands Acres Thousands Hectares Urban, industrial and recreational development, including mineral workings 37.8 15.3 Defence and other government departments* 0.2 0.1 Forestry Commission and private woodlands 8.5 3.4 Land not previously recorded and other adjustments 30.0 12.1 Total 76.1 30.8† The estimates are based on acreages returned by farmers in the agricultural census at June each year, adjusted to discount changes in the coverage.
* Transfer to agriculture.
†Total does not agree due to rounding.