§ 29. Mr. James Lamondasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average farm worker's earnings at the latest available date; and what they represent as a percentage of national average earnings.
§ Mrs. FennerThe average weekly earnings of hired regular whole-time men working in agriculture in England and Wales is estimated at £129.92 for 46.6 hours for the year ended September 1985. This represents over 80 per cent. of the average weekly earnings of equivalent 'workers in all industries and services in Great Britain as a whole at April 1985.
§ 51. Miss Maynardasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest figures for the average weekly earnings of farm workers.
§ 58. Mr. Strangasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the average weekly earnings of agricultural workers in 1985.
§ Mrs. FennerI refer the hon. Members to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell).
§ 57. Mr. Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of farmers and growers currently employ workers on a regular basis; and what is the size of this labour force at the latest available date.
§ Mrs. FennerDetails of the size and composition of the agricultural labour force in the United Kingdom at June 1985 are given in table 5 of the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1986" White Paper (Cmnd. 9708). Just over 36 per cent. of holdings in England and Wales returned at June 1985 employed regular hired or family agricultural workers.
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§ 63. Mr. Jack Thompsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average skilled agricultural workers earnings; and how they compare with the average skilled wage in industry.
§ Mrs. FennerNo estimate is available of the average earnings of skilled manual workers in all industries and services. Figures for the average weekly earnings of skilled manual workers in agriculture are shown in the table:
Average gross weekly earnings and hours of full-time skilled men* in agriculture 1984–85† Grade I Grade II Craftesmen Earnings (£) 175.57 151.44 136.40 Hours 47.8 47.1 47.8 * Appointment grades and craftesmen as defined by the Agricultural Wages Board (England and Wales) in the Agricultural Wages Order 1985.
† Figures relate to full-time hired men (aged 20 and over) in England and Wales for the year ended September 1985.
Source: Wages and Employment Enquiry (England and Wales)
§ 65. Mr. Weetchasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate what effect the decline in agricultural incomes has had on the numbers employed in agriculture in East Anglia.
§ Mrs. FennerEstimates of farming income by standard statistical region in 1985 are not available and I am unable to estimate the effect on numbers employed in East Anglia of recent income movements.
Results of the June 1985 agricultural census suggest, however, that the proportional reduction in the numbers of hired and family agricultural workers in East Anglia between 1984 and 1985 was slightly less than the average annual fall over the period 1980 to 1984.