§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will provide figures for each year since 1979 for what was the total area of agricultural land in the English less-favoured areas in hectares in each year since 1979; and what are these figures as a percentage of the total current English less-favoured areas.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 17 June 1994]: The table shows the total area of land in England, designated as less favoured, in each year in which additional land has been designated and expresses this as a proportion of the current area of designated land.
Cereal yield estimates Yield (tonnes per heactare) Year Wales England Farms wholly within less favoured areas Farms wholly outside less favoured areas Farms wholly with less favoured areas Farms wholly outside less favoured areas 1986 4.91 5.47 4.97 6.28 1987 4.67 4.85 5.39 5.61 1988 4.41 5.02 5.13 5.49 1989 4.18 4.36 5.02 6.03 1990 4.50 4.85 5.96 6.23 Average 1986–901 4.53 4.91 5.18 5.96 1In each case excluding the year with the highest yield and the year with the lowest yield during the period.