§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of his flexi-ownership—rents into mortgages—scheme.
§ Mr. GristWe are extremely encouraged by the progress made by the Development Board for Rural Wales in the first 10 months of operating the experimental flexi-ownership scheme. Seventeen per cent. of the eligible tenants have expressed an interest and almost 60 (7 per cent.) have applied to become flexi-owners. Ten sales have been completed and the board estimates that about 5 per cent. of the eligible stock will have been sold by the end of the first year. We are currently considering whether the scheme should be extended.
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 Average income of Welsh farmers assessed for tax £7,939 £7,739 £9,110 £11,002 Average manual workers earnings in Wales £7,090 £7,548 £7,990 £8,510 Average income of Welsh farrmers assessed for tax expressed as a perscentage of available manual workers' earnings in Wales 112 per cent. 102 per cent. 114 per cent. 129 per cent.