HC Deb 08 March 1985 vol 74 cc637-8W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for June 1984 the number of (a) whole-time and (b) part-time farmers, partners and directors of agricultural holdings of 100 hectares and over, the number of such holdings and the number of spouses in each case engaged in farm work, distinguishing the number who were also partners and directors and those who were not.

Mr. MacGregor

The number of farmers, partners and directors of agricultural holdings of 100 hectares and over total area recorded in the June 1984 agricultural census for England and Wales was as follows:

Farmers, Partners* and Directors Related Holdings*
Whole Time 37,600 24,500
Part Time 7,400 6,100
Totals 45,000 26,600
*ON 4,000 of the holdings there were both whole-time and part-time farmers, partners or directors.

The best available data on spouses on these holdings is as follows:

Spouses of: Number
—whole-time principal farmers 7,400
—part-time principal farmers 400
—other farmers, partners and directors 1,700
All spouses 9,500

These figures relate only to spouses doing farm work. The census does not record the number of spouses who were also partners and directors: neither does it distinguish between spouses of whole-time and of part-time farmers, partners and directors, except as shown in the table.