§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Elliot Morley)I am pleased to report to the House that forecasts for this year suggest an encouraging rise in farm incomes, of 11 per cent (9 per cent in real terms), in comparison to 2001.
We recognise that farmers are experiencing hard times, therefore any increase in incomes is welcome news. This is the second year running that there has been an increase— a reversal of a sharp decline since 1995, although we recognise this remains £2.99 billion below the yearly average for TIFF, for the period 1989 to 1994.
These increases reflect the efforts of farmers to improve business performance. Government is playing its part by investing in the rural economy. There is a lot more to do, but we are working with the industry to create the right conditions for a sustainable and competitive future for farmers.