HC Deb 07 November 2002 vol 392 cc597-8W
Paul Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, what changes have taken place in the(a) gross and (b) net incomes of the (i) top and (ii) bottom deciles of farmers in each year since 1990. [79406]

Mr. Morley

The information for the years 1996–97 to 2000–01 are given in the table.

Ranges of farm incomes for full-time farms in England (£ per farm)
Cash income Net Farm Income
First decile (10th percentile) Ninth decile (90th percentile) First decile (10th percentile) Ninth decile (90th percentile)
1996–97 6,200 118,100 -3,400 72,000
1997–98 100 94,200 -12,000 41,300
1998–99 -400 83,500 -14,900 38,100
1999–00 0 73,800 -14,800 33,600
2000–01 -1,400 77,500 -14,800 35,500

Source:

Farm Business Survey

I regret that the information given in a previous answer to my hon. Friend, Official Report, 22 January, column 779W, was incorrect. The figures had been mistakenly calculated for England and Wales, not for England. The information in this table corrects those figures.

Data for the six years 1990–1995 could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.