HC Deb 17 October 1994 vol 248 cc143-6W
Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the farm and conservation grant scheme comprehended in the past; what it comprehends today; what proportion of the cost of each eligible scheme, in and outside the less-favoured areas was met by the Government before and after variations to the scheme made since its inception; and what, in real and actual terms, has been the expenditure on each element of the scheme for each year both inside and outside the less-favoured areas.

Mr. Waldegrave

[holding answer 21 July 1994]: The farm and conservation grant scheme, set up in 1989, covers a wide range of investments. The items eligible for grant and the rates of grant payable since the scheme's inception, both within and outside the less-favoured areas, are set out in the scheme legislation, copies of which are available from the Library of the House. The statutory instruments concerned are: The Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme 1989 SI No. 128 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Variation) Scheme 1990 SI No. 1126 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Variation) Scheme 1991 SI No. 1338 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Variation) Scheme 1993 SI No. 2901 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Variation) Scheme 1994 SI No. 1302 The Farm and Conservation Grant Regulations 1989 SI No. 219 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Amendment) Regulations 1990 SI No. 1125 The Farm and Conservation Grant Regulations 1991 SI No. 1630 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Amendment) Regulations 1992 SI No. 3174 The Farm and Conservation Grant (Amendment) Regulations 1993 SI No. 2900

The table shows in cash terms expenditure on each element of the scheme for each year both inside and outside the less-favoured areas since the scheme's inception. A similar table showing expenditure in real terms is not readily available.

covered by the Agricultural Wages Order 1994, for each region and county of England;

(2) what is her latest estimate of the total number of persons whose pay and conditions are covered by the Agricultural Wages Order 1994.

Mr. Waldergrave

[holding answer 21 July 1994]: The Agricultural Wages Order 1994 covers both England and Wales. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is replying separately in respect of the workers covered by the order in Wales. Based on the June agricultural and horticultural census, it is estimated that the numbers of workers in England covered by the Agricultural Wages Order 1994 was 171,732 as at June 1993. Estimates for each region and county in England, excluding workers on minor holdings, are given in the following table.

Estimated number of workers covered by the Agricultural Wages Board for each county in England as at June 19931
Number
Cleveland 358
Cumbria 3,115
Durham 1,301
Northumberland 2,248
Tyne and Wear 264
North Region 7,286
Humberside 5,020
N/Yorks (N'Allerton) 7,550
N/Yorks (Beverley) 1,899
North Yorkshire 9,449
South Yorkshire 1,146
West Yorkshire 2,085
Yorks/Humberside Region 17,700
Derbyshire 2,388
Leicestershire 2,388
Lincolnshire 10,908
Northamptonshire 1,882
Nottinghamshire 2,498
East Midlands Region 20,064
Cambridgeshire 5,071
Norfolk 10,067
Suffolk 6,625
East Anglia Region 21,763
Bedfordshire 1,397
Berkshire 1,066
Buckinghamshire 1,685
East Sussex 2,709
Essex 5,979
Greater London (E) 284
Greater London (SE) 611
Greater London 895
Hampshire 5,281
Hertfordshire 1,556
Isle of Wight 629
Kent 13,112
Oxfordshire 2,592
Surrey 2,708
West Sussex 5,068
South East Region 44,677
Avon 2,810
Cornwall 4,502
Isles of Scilly 56
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 4,558
Devon 6,556
Dorset 3,152
Gloucestershire 3,108
Somerset 5,371
Wiltshire 3,244
South West Region 28,799

Number
Hereford & Worcester 8,145
Shropshire 4,485
Staffordshire 3,706
Warwickshire 2,347
West Midlands 486
West Midlands Region 19,169
Cheshire 3,884
Greater Manchester 1,119
Lancashire 5,447
Merseyside 649
North West Region 11,099
1 The data in this table relate to main holdings only, ie. excludes data on minor holdings. The number of workers covered by the Agricultural Wages Board comprises the following categories: regular hired workers and seasonal and casual workers.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 14 July,Official Report, column 715, if she will publish the evidence that employers in a number of sectors of the industry are now questioning the value of keeping the present arrangements for statutory wage determination across the agriculture sector.

Mr. Waldegrave

[holding answer 21 July 1994]: Comments received as part of last year's consultation exercise on the future operation of the Agricultural Wages Board have already been made available for scrutiny in the Ministry. We have written to those offering comments since the end of the consultation period and—in cases where consent has been given—we have made these available in the same way.