HC Deb 12 February 1996 vol 271 cc450-1W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of farm holdings in Scotland, the number of(a) self-employed and (b) employed people working in Scottish agriculture, and the number of people employed in agricultural contract work (i) in 1978 and (ii) in the most recent year for which figures are available. [11967]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

The information required is shown in the table. The data on farm holdings and the farm work force are from the June agricultural census of main holdings and the information on agricultural contractors' employees is drawn from the March 1980—the nearest date to 1978—machinery census and the April 1994 survey of agricultural contractors.

1978 1995
Number of holdings 31,090 32,800
Occupiers 23,600 21,700
Spouses 8,000 12,000
Employees 40,600 25,600
Figures rounded to nearest 100.
1980 1994
Contractors' employees 960 1,090
Figures rounded to nearest 10.