HC Deb 02 November 1993 vol 231 cc107-9W
Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the net farm income for mainly sheep and sheep and cattle farms in severely disadvantaged areas in England and Wales, in both nominal and real terms for each year since 1978.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

[pursuant to her reply, 29 October 1993, c. 798]: Estimates of net farm income, based on results of sample surveys are provided in the tables. The method of farm classification has been changed and results for 1992–93 and subsequent years will only be available on the revised method. In order to ensure a

Table 1
Average net farm income on livestock farms wholly or partly in the Severely Disadvantaged Area in England (New Classification)
Year1 Specialist sheep farms Mixed cattle and sheep farms
£'000 per farm Indices2 £'000 per farm Indices2
Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3 Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3
1986–87 7.8 10.6 115 147 8.8 12.0 83 106
1987–88 8.0 10.5 118 146 12.6 16.5 118 145
1988–89 11.7 14.5 139 162 16.1 20.0 150 175
1989–90 7.7 8.9 103 111 12.1 13 9 106 114
1990–91 6.7 7.0 86 85 8.4 8.8 75 74
1991–92 10.7 10.7 111 104 13.2 13.2 119 112
1992–934 14.8 14.3 157 142 16 5 16.0 177 161

Table 2
Average net farm income on livestock farms wholly or partly in the Severely Disadvantaged Area in England (New Classification)
Year1 Specialist sheep farms Mixed cattle and sheep farms
£'000 per farm Indices2 £'000 per farm Indices2
Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3 Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3
1986–87 8.3 11.3 141 181 7.9 10.8 98 125
1987–88 6.9 9.1 117 145 11.6 15.2 143 175
1988–89 10.9 13.5 167 192 14.1 17.5 170 197
1989–90 5.8 6.7 92 100 10.4 12 0 113 121
1990–91 8.1 8.5 85 84 8.3 8.7 84 82
1991–92 12.4 12.4 123 116 12.2 12.2 104 97
1992–934 16.2 15.7 191 174 16 3 15.8 141 128

Table 3
Average net farm income on livestock farms wholly or partly in the Severely Disadvantaged Area in England (Old Classification)
Year1 Mainly sheep farms cattle and sheep farms
£'000 per farm Indices2 £'000 per farm Indices2
Current prices 1991–92 prices 3 Current prices Real Terms3 Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3
1978–795 n/a n/a n/a n/a 8.8 23.3 119 245
1979–805 n/a n/a n/a n/a 4.2 9.7 54 96
1980–815 n/a n/a n/a n/a 6.1 12 0 76 140
1981–825 11.1 19 6 100 167 9.4 16.6 139 230
1982–835 8.1 13 3 84 131 9.2 15.1 125 193
1983–84 10.8 16.9 87 129 7.8 12.2 106 155
1984–85 9.4 14.0 79 111 9.6 14.3 119 167
1985–86 11.9 16.7 102 135 10.1 14.2 120 158
1986–87 9.1 124 89 115 8.0 10.9 95 122
1987–88 9.9 13.0 102 126 11.8 15.5 129 158
1988–89 12.7 15.8 136 159 15.6 19.4 161 187
1989–90 7.5 8.6 92 100 106 12.2 111 119
1990–91 7.7 8.1 79 78 7.2 7.6 72 71
1991–92 10.9 10.9 129 122 12.4 12.4 117 110

consistent data series the results for years from 1986–87 have been reanalysed and these are presented for SDA specialist sheep farms and SDA mixed cattle and sheep farms in table 1, for England, and table 2, for Wales. Tables 3 and 4 provide data on the previous method of classification for the years 1978–79 to 1991–92 for SDA sheep farms and SDA cattle and sheep farms.

Year-to-year comparisons can best be made by reference to the indices shown in the tables, which are based on results from constant samples of farms.

Forecasts of incomes will be placed in the Library of the House on 30 November when the outcome of the autumn review of hill livestock compensatory allowances is announced.

Table 4
Average net farm income on livestock farms wholly or partly in the Severely Disadvantaged Area in Wales (Old Classification)
Year1 Mainly sheep farms cattle and sheep farms
£'000 per farm Indices2 £'000 per farm Indices2
Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3 Current prices 1991–92 prices3 Current prices Real Terms3
1978–795 6.9 18.1 76 189 7.4 19.4 73 181
1979–805 2.9 6.7 32 69 41 9.5 40 89
1980–815 5.9 11.5 68 124 6.2 12.2 58 107
1981–825 8.8 15 5 95 157 7.8 13.6 103 171
1982–835 6.2 10 2 73 113 6.7 11.1 86 134
1983–84 8.6 13 4 97 142 6.6 10.4 80 119
1984–85 9.7 14.5 147 206 7.7 11.4 83 117
1985–86 7.9 11.2 101 133 8.4 11.8 96 129
1986–87 9.8 13.4 112 144 9.3 12.8 98 127
1987–88 9.4 12 3 105 130 12 5 16 4 119 149
1988–89 8.3 10.4 149 175 8.5 10.6 154 181
1989–90 9.5 10 9 99 107 10.9 12 5 94 102
1990–91 10 8 11.4 89 88 8.7 91 72 71
1991–92 16.8 16.5 112 105 13.7 13.5 134 126
Notes: 1 Accounting years end on average in February.
2 1989–90—1991–92=100
3 The information has been derived by deflating the current price estimates by the retail prices index.
4 Provisional figure at the time of the 1993 autumn review of the economic conditions in the hills and uplands.
5 The estimates for these years are not strictly comparable with those for later years.