Less Favoured Areas

HC Deb 02 February 1995 vol 253 cc815-6W

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total acreage of land in Wales classed as less favoured areas.

Mr. Gwilym Jones

The less favoured area classification of agricultural land applies to an estimated 1,365,900 hectares-81 per cent. of all agricultural land.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of the holdings in Wales in the less favoured areas as on 31 December 1994.

Mr. Gwilym Jones

A farm holding is normally classed as being in the less favoured areas if more than half of its land is within the boundaries of the areas designed as being less favoured. At 31 December 1994 there were an estimated 23,400 such holdings in Wales. This total includes an estimate of 3,400 very small holdings derived from the 1989 census of minor holdings.