Agricultural Base Areas (Hansard, 17 January 1994)

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish in theOfficial Report the figures in hectares for (a) set-aside; (b) pulses, (c) oilseed rape and (d) cereals for 1989, 1990 and 1991 which were used to calculate the base area in Scotland.
406W

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The information is not available in the form requested. The table details the total number of receptions and the number of fine defaulter receptions to penal establishments in Scotland by classification of crime and offence for 1992.
(2) if he will list the June census set-aside figures for Scotland for 1989, 1990 and 1991.

§ Sir Hector Monro
[holding answer 29 November 1993]: The figures used to calculate the base areas in Scotland are as follows:—
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1989 1990 1991 3 years average

LFA Non-LFA LFA Non-LFA LFA Non-LFA LFA Non-LFA

Set-aside¹ 3,643 7,807 4,919 12,949 6,487 15,796 5,016 12,184

Protein crops 526 4,509 358 4,046 353 3,024 412 3,860

Oilseed rape 7,821 28,244 8,919 36,276 9,896 39,999 8,879 34,840

Cereals 188,780 319,270 178,060 303,383 175,843 292,665 180,895 305,106

Total 200,770 359,830 192,256 356,654 192,579 351,484 ²195,202 ²355,990

¹Figures taken from the five-year and one-year set-aside scheme returns.

²Before submission to the EC Commission in September 1992, these figures were adjusted by switching 34,854 hectares from less-favoured areas to non-LFAs giving a base area of 160,348 hectares for the LFAs and 390,844 hectares for the non-LFAs. These figures were further adjusted to reflect the more accurate split between LFAs and non-LFA arable land established from the integrated administration and control system returns, and a further 39,303 hectares was switched from LFAs to non-LFAs giving new base areas of 121,045 hectares for the LFAs and 430,147 for the non-LFAs. These last figures are now accepted by the EC as the Scottish base areas. Throughout, the total base area has remained constant at 551,192 hectares.

The set-aside figures recorded in the June census for 1989 and 1990 were 29,197 and 44,465 hectares respectively. These figures partly reflect land registered for set-aside and are, therefore, higher than the area actually set aside. No specific set-aside questions were asked in 1991.

	1989	1990	1991	3 years average
	LFA	Non-LFA	LFA	Non-LFA	LFA	Non-LFA	LFA	Non-LFA
Set-aside¹	3,643	7,807	4,919	12,949	6,487	15,796	5,016	12,184
Protein crops	526	4,509	358	4,046	353	3,024	412	3,860
Oilseed rape	7,821	28,244	8,919	36,276	9,896	39,999	8,879	34,840
Cereals	188,780	319,270	178,060	303,383	175,843	292,665	180,895	305,106
Total	200,770	359,830	192,256	356,654	192,579	351,484	²195,202	²355,990
¹Figures taken from the five-year and one-year set-aside scheme returns.
²Before submission to the EC Commission in September 1992, these figures were adjusted by switching 34,854 hectares from less-favoured areas to non-LFAs giving a base area of 160,348 hectares for the LFAs and 390,844 hectares for the non-LFAs. These figures were further adjusted to reflect the more accurate split between LFAs and non-LFA arable land established from the integrated administration and control system returns, and a further 39,303 hectares was switched from LFAs to non-LFAs giving new base areas of 121,045 hectares for the LFAs and 430,147 for the non-LFAs. These last figures are now accepted by the EC as the Scottish base areas. Throughout, the total base area has remained constant at 551,192 hectares.