§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest figures on(a) farming suicides and (b) farm bankruptcies. [145781]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 16 January 2001]: (a) The latest figures on farming suicides were provided in a written response to my hon. Friend on 27 November 2000, Official Report, columns 399–400W.
We are very concerned about the high incidence of stress and suicide among farmers. We are closely involved with a number of organisations working to alleviate the level of stress in rural areas as my previous reply indicated.
(b) Data on bankruptcies in the agricultural and horticultural sector in England and Wales are given in the table. These data correct figures for 1999 previously given in the answer of 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 461W and 20 November 2000, Official Report, column 63W.
Figures for the first two quarters of 2000 show a decrease in total farming bankruptcies of 15 per cent. compared with the same period in 1999. the current level of bankruptcies is 40 per cent. lower than in 1992 and represents 0.1 per cent. of the farming industry1. Bankruptcy is a last resort and most fanners leaving the industry as a result of financial pressure do so in an orderly manner by selling up and realising their assets.
Number of bankruptcies2 in the agricultural and horticultural sector: England and Wales 1990–2000 Year Bankruptcies of self-employed individuals Company insolvencies3 Total 1990 198 111 309 1991 266 135 401 1992 313 191 504 1993 277 157 434 1994 231 166 397 1995 218 99 317 1996 168 89 257 1997 155 51 206 1998 157 65 222 1999 183 75 258 2000 88 31 4,5119 1 Based on the number of holdings in the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census 2 Source—Department of Trade and Industry 3 Including Partnerships 4 First two quarters only 5 Third quarter bankruptcy data will be available on 2 February 2001