HC Deb 11 June 1979 vol 968 cc86-7W
Mr. Fry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total loss of agricultural land due to the whole of the motorway programme; what is the average per year this loss represents; what has been the agricultural land loss to all road schemes in (a) the last 10 years, and (b) the last 20 years what is the average annual acreage loss this represents; what is the average annual rise in agricultural production in (i) the last 10 years and (ii) the last 20 years; and what is the estimated effect of road development on agricultural production.

Mr. Wiggin

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport estimates that since 1958 about 15,500 hectares of land in England have been taken for motorway construction. Information is not available as to how much of this is agricultural land, nor is it possible to estimate the total amount of land taken for all road schemes.

The average annual rise in agricultural production as measured by net product at constant prices is about 2 per cent. per annum over both the last 10 and 20 years.

It is not possible to make a meaningful estimate of the effect of road developments on agricultural production.