§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers previously in full-time activity have left the industry during the last five years as a consequence of direct financial pressure or bankruptcy.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonRecords are not kept of the reasons why individual farmers leave the industry, and such information is not therefore available. However, in 1987, the last year for which information is available, there were 172 bankruptcies and 126 company insolvences in England and Wales among businesses which were primarily agricultural and horticultural.