§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the acreage of horticultural crops grown in Scotland in 1961, 1971 and 1981, with details of type of crop where possible and area of horticultural glass houses.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe information is set out in the following table and is based on the June census figures for the respective years.
361W
1961 1971 1981 Hectares Hectares Hectares Horticultural Crops Peas 1,775.7 1,184.3 3,563.2 Beans N/A N/A 636.0 Leeks N/A 129.7 153.6 Turnips and Swedes 274.4 381.3 526.1 Cabbages and Savoys 577.9 847.2 749.5 Brussel Sprouts 382.0 444.7 510.7 Calabrese Broccoli N/A N/A 214.0 Cauliflower and Broccoli 292.2 349.6 426.4 Carrots 330.2 671.7 482.5 Lettuce 158.2 239.1 108.1 Rhubarb 231.5 230.4 118.5 Other Vegetables 171.5 207.3 237.0 Tomatoes 92.7 78.6 30.4 Strawberries 696.1 999.6 851.8 Raspberries 2,789.1 3,258.2 2,655.2 Other soft fruits 198.7 47.6 262.9 Bulbs grown for dry bulbs and/or flowers N/A 274.6 189.7 Flowers and foliage 197.5 98.2 35.1 Hardy Nursery Stock 182.1 357.8 443.9 Horticultural Glasshouses Type of Structure Walk-in Plastic Structures N/A N/A 9.7 Glass Clad structures 113.7 111.1 56.4 N/A—not available
§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what numbers of farmers, farmers' wives and farm workers were engaged in work on holdings of a predominantly horticultural nature in the years 1961, 1971 and 1981.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe information for 1971 and 1981 is set out in the following table, and is based on the June census figures for the respective years. Comparable figures for 1961 are not available.
1971 1981 Farmers 525 264 Farmers' spouses 194 97 Workers (full-time) 1,749 632 Workers (part-time) 492 214 Workers (casual and seasonal) 703 448
§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants have been paid for the erection of glasshouses in Scotland over the past 20 years.
§ Mr. John MacKayBetween 1960 and 1973 applications for grant for erection of additional or replacement glasshouses were made under the horticultural improvement scheme, and grants paid amounted to £623,819. Since then, applications have been made under various schemes and grants paid amount to £152,845, but the records do not distinguish between additional glass, replacements and improvements. In addition, the Highlands and Islands Development Board has paid grants amounting to £14,500 since 1965 for the erection of glasshouses.
§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has of the profitability of horticultural production in Scotland in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. John MacKayI regret that the information requested is not available.