HC Deb 10 July 1987 vol 119 cc290-1W
Mr. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount paid under the sheep variable premium to farmers in Wales in each year since the inception of the scheme.

Mr. Peter Walker

Payments to producers in Wales under the sheep variable premium schemes are as follows:

Marketing Year £ million
1980–81 7.5
1981–82 12.6
1982–83 25.0
1983–84 30.3
1984–85 21.4
1985–86 21.0
1986–87 22.8

Mr. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many agricultural holdings in each county in Wales engage in sheep rearing; and what proportion of the total number of holdings in each country each number represents.

Mr. Peter Walker

The number of holdings in each county in June 1986 with breeding ewes, and the proportions of the total number of holdings in each county that these represent are shown in the following table:

Holdings with breeding sheep June 1986 Percentage of all holdings June 1986
Clwyd 2,192 56.7
Dyfed 4,582 40.2

Holdings with breeding sheep June 1986 Percentage of ail holdings June 1986
Gwent 1,094 50.5
Gwynedd 3,215 66.3
Mid Glamorgan 507 54.0
Powys 4,395 82.5
South Glamorgan 181 36.1
West Glamorgan 342 39.0

Mr. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh agricultural holdings have a sheep enterprise on the farm; and what proportion of the total number of holdings this represents.

Mr. Peter Walker

There were 16,900 holdings with sheep in Wales in June 1986, of which 16,500 had breeding sheep. These numbers represented 56 per cent. and 55 per cent. of all holdings in Wales respectively.

Mr. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are directly employed in sheep farming in Wales.

Mr. Peter Walker

It is not possible to quantify the number of persons employed solely in sheep farming in Wales. However, in June 1986, 39,800 people were employed on holdings which contained breeding sheep.

Mr. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average size of sheep flocks in Wales.

Mr. Peter Walker

The size of the average sheep flock in Wales in June 1986 was 274 breeding ewes.