HC Deb 13 May 1981 vol 4 cc276-8W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of holdings over 65 acres under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1948, and the number of owner-occupied farms for the years 1970, 1975 and 1980.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

The information in the form requested is not available.

The total number of wholly rented holdings over 20 hectares in 1979, the latest year for which information is available, was 4,055. In addition, there were 1,540 holdings where 50 per cent. or more of the total area was rented.

In 1970, 1975 and 1979 there were 18,502, 16,749 and 19,100 holdings of all sizes wholly owned and there were a further 4,541, 5,369 and 3,654 holdings respectively where the occupier owned 50 per cent. or more of the total area.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications for "succession" have been received by the Agricultural Land Tribunal in Wales; of this total, how many have been successful or unsuccessful; and what is the total of cases regarding "succession" which were settled before having come before the tribunal.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

Between 1977 and 1980 the Agricultural Land Tribunal (Wales) received 183 succession applications under section 20(1) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976; 46 were successful, 17 unsuccessful, 99 were withdrawn and 21 are being processed.

I have no knowledge of agreements reached between interested parties without reference to the tribunal.

Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many agricultural holdings over 65 acres were let to tenants for each year between 1970 and 1981; and what proportion of lets for the period 1976 to 1981 was not made under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

From 1972 to 1979 the information is as follows:

Wholly rented 50 per cent, plus rented*
50 acres and over
1972 4,958 1,700
1973 4,947 1,664
1974 4,960 1,600

School Total expenditure £ European Units of Account (EUA) Pupils Full-time teachers
Luxembourg 5,552,893 8,598,639 2,486 144
Brussels I 7,040,231 10,901,775 2,411 168
Brussels II 3,546,830 5,492,225 1,510 105
Mol 3,520,719 5,451,822 919 86
Varese 3,487,876 5,400,965 1,581 111
Bergen 1,962,620 3,039,112 619 53
Karlsruhe 2,408,159 3,729,027 950 68
*Munich 538,899 834,484 211 19
Culham 761,132 1,182,367 388 41
TOTAL 28,819,359 44,630,416 11,075 795
* The total budget expenditure of the European School at Munich is met by the European Patent Office.

Wholly rented 50 per cent, plus rented*
1975 4,407 2,002
20 hectares and over
1976 4,179 2,080
1977 4,091 1,948
1978 4,257 1,581
1979 4,055 1,540
*more than half the total area occupied is rented.

All agricultural holdings lest under a contract of tenancy within the meaning of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1948 come under the provisions of the 1976 Act.