§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the approximate area of agricultural land, in acres and hectares, sold in the United Kingdom in 1976 and 1977; and, for each year, what were the proportions of this land acquired by individual and corporate ownership from within and outside the United Kingdom, respectively.
§ Mr. Strang:It is estimated that the areas of agricultural land in the United Kingdom sold in 1976 and 1977 were 338,300 hectares—835,900 acres—and 315,500 hectares—779,600 acres—respectively.
An analysis of the area of these sales by types of purchaser is only available
802Wrelated monetary compensatory amounts for the latest convenient date together with the net cost to the importers.
§ Mr. Bishop:The following is the information requested as at 11th January 1979:
for England and Wales. For these countries it is estimated chat individuals accounted for 75 per cent. and 71 per cent., and corporate bodies for 21 per cent. and 26 per cent. of purchases in 1976 and 1977 respectively. The remaining purchases were undertaken by other groups including public authorities.
No information is available on whether the purchasers were from within or outside the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report the approximate price of agricultural land for each of the years since 1964 in £ per hectare and £ per acre.
803W
§ Mr. Strang:The information is given in the table set out below:
AGRICULTURAL LAND PRICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES (a) Period during which sales reported to Board of Inland Revenue Year during which most of the bargains struck England England and Wales (year ending September) (Calendar year) (b) £/hectare (£/acre) £/hectare (£/acre) 1965 1964 441 (178) 403 (163) 1966(c) 1965 439 (178) 413 (167) 1967(d) 1966 454 (184) 430 (174) 1968(d) 1967 484 (196) 452 (183) 1969(e) 1968 514 (208) 492 (199) 1970 1969 524 (212) 494 (200) 1971 1970 502 (203) 474 (192) 1972 1971 571 (231) 544 (220) 1973 1972 1,161 (470) 1,092 (442) 1974 1973 1,556 (630) 1,480 (599) 1975 1974 1,272 (515) 1,213 (491) 1976 1975 1,125 (455) 1,081 (438) 1977 1976 1,349 (546) 1,291 (523) 1978 1977 1,909 (773) 1,802 (730) 1978(f) 2,606 (1,056) 2,482 (1,005) (a) Figures collected and analysed by the Board of Inland Revenue and published by MAFF covering all sales of agricultural land of four hectares and over, excluding sales for non-agricultural purposes, and gifts but including inter-family sales and sales where the vendor retained certain rights over the land, for example, sporting. (b) There is a delay between the date on which a sale is agreed and the dates on which it is notified to the Inland Revenue and then included in the series. There is no definite information on the extent of the time-lag but it is thought to average between six and nine months. The table is based on a lag of nine months. (c) Thirteen month period ending October. (d) Twelve month period ending October. (e) Eleven month period ending September. (f) Estimates based on the percentage increase of vacant possession agricultural land prices is indicated by the MAFF ADAS/AMC Agricultural Land Prices series published monthly as a press notice.