§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of land falling vacant in the United Kingdom in the last five years for which figures are available was (a) taken in hand, (b) sold, (c) relet to those who are already tenants, or (d) relet to new tenants.
§ Mrs. FennerThe information collected by my Department as part of the annual rent inquiry relates to England and Wales only. The inquiry surveys 35 per cent. of tenanted land and provides an indication of trends within the tenanted sector.
A full breakdown in the form requested for land which fell vacant is available only for 1982. The information is as follows:
- (a) 19 per cent. was taken in hand;
- (b) 28 per cent. was sold, either with vacant possession or to the sitting tenant;
- (c) 25 per cent. was re-let to an established farmer;
- (d) 28 per cent. was re-let to new entrants.