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Farm Prices

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) farmgate and (b) market price was of (i) sheep, (ii) pigs, (iii) beef cattle, (iv) dairy cattle, (v) broiler chickens, (vi) free range chickens, (vii) sugar beet and (viii) cereals in each year since 1990. [34868]

Mr. Morley: The following tables show the farm gate output values, variable production costs, gross margins, fixed production costs and net margins for lowland sheep, pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, cereals and sugar beet for those years since 1990 for which data are available. These data are based on results from DEFRA commissioned surveys into the economics of farm enterprises. Data for broiler chickens and free range chickens are not available.

Lowland sheep£ per ewe

	Lamb crop
	Output	Variable costs	Gross margin	Fixed costs	Net margin
1991	56	23	33	n/a	n/a
1992	57	23	34	n/a	n/a
1993	66	24	42	n/a	n/a
1994	67	25	42	51	-9
1995	71	26	45	n/a	n/a
1996	77	27	49	n/a	n/a
1997	70	27	43	n/a	n/a
1998	66	25	40	n/a	n/a
1999	57	24	32	66	-33
2000	57	25	32	n/a	n/a

11 Feb 2002 : Column 87W

Pigs⁽¹⁶⁾£ per finished pig

October to September	Value of finished pig	Feed costs	Margin over feed	Total costs	Net margin
1991–92	73	42	31	64	9
1992–93	71	45	26	67	4
1993–94	62	42	20	n/a	n/a
1994–95	72	42	31	n/a	n/a
1995–96	91	47	44	n/a	n/a
1996–97	77	43	34	70	7
1997–98	59	39	20	65	-6
1998–99	49	34	15	59	-10
1999–2000	58	36	22	n/a	n/a
2000–01	68	40	28	n/a	n/a

⁽¹⁶⁾ Data based on results from special surveys into the economics of pig production

Lowland beef cattle finished at 16–22 months⁽¹⁷⁾£ per head

Calendar year	Output	Variable costs	Gross margin	Fixed costs	Net margin
1991	223	122	101	n/a	n/a
1992	215	126	88	n/a	n/a
1993	265	132	133	n/a	n/a
1994	266	138	129	n/a	n/a
1995	289	146	143	141	2
1996	256	163	93	158	-65
1997	198	145	53	n/a	n/a
1998	209	136	72	n/a	n/a
1999	249	134	113	n/a	n/a
2000	248	137	111	n/a	n/a

⁽¹⁷⁾ Data based on results from special surveys into the economics of lowland beef production

Dairy cows£ per cow

April to March	Output	Variable costs	Gross margin	Fixed costs	Net margin
1991–92	1,149	413	737	n/a	n/a
1992–93	1,240	427	813	n/a	n/a
1993–94	1,297	468	829	n/a	n/a
1994–95	1,318	497	821	n/a	n/a
1995–96	1,453	555	897	n/a	n/a
1996–97	1,480	547	933	574	359
1997–98	1,293	485	808	n/a	n/a
1998–99	1,192	441	751	n/a	n/a
1999–2000	1,117	448	669	n/a	n/a
2000–01	1,137	455	682	n/a	n/a

Winter wheat£ per ha

Harvest year	Output	Variable costs	Gross margin	Fixed costs	Net margin
1991	861	258	603	n/a	n/a
1992	892	253	640	n/a	n/a
1993	952	265	688	365	322
1994	1,063	268	795	n/a	n/a
1995	1,253	281	972	n/a	n/a
1996	1,157	300	857	n/a	n/a
1997	919	309	610	n/a	n/a
1998	856	279	577	429	148
1999	872	255	617	n/a	n/a
2000	835	256	579	n/a	n/a

11 Feb 2002 : Column 88W

Barley£ per ha

Harvest year	Output	Variable costs	Gross margin	Fixed costs	Net margin
1991	659	212	447	n/a	n/a
1992	764	211	553	n/a	n/a
1993	805	212	593	360	233
1994	895	213	682	n/a	n/a
1995	1,076	224	852	n/a	n/a
1996	1,028	247	780	n/a	n/a
1997	804	249	555	n/a	n/a
1998	735	226	509	418	91
1999	761	205	556	n/a	n/a
2000	732	207	525	n/a	n/a

Sugar beet—harvest year 1995

	£ per ha
Output	1,886
Variable costs	636
Gross margin	1,249
Fixed costs	564
Net margin	685

Note:

Figures may not add due to rounding

Dairy Farms

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the revenue lost per annum since 1990 to dairy farms as a result of (a) bovine TB, (b) pneumonia, (c) bovine viral diarrhoea, (c) mastitis, (d) calf scours and (e) foot rot, broken down by constituency. [31809]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 31 January 2002]: Information is not collated on the impact on farmers' revenues of different animal diseases.

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average veterinary costs per annum since 1990 to dairy farms were as a result of (a) bovine TB, (b) pneumonia, (c) bovine viral diarrhoea, (c) mastitis, (d) calf scours and (e) foot rot, broken down by constituency. [31810]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 31 January 2002]: While estimates of average veterinary costs per farm for dairy farms are available, it is not possible to attribute these costs to specific animal diseases nor to give these by constituency.

Genotype Test Errors

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 29 January 2002, Official Report, column 240W, on genotype test errors, if she will list (a) the total number of samples that were originally tested, (b) the number of samples that were originally tested that were found to have been wrong, (c) the total number of samples that have been retested and (d) the total number of samples that have been retested that were subsequently found to be wrong. [33777]

11 Feb 2002 : Column 89W

Mr. Morley [holding answer 6 February 2002]: The information requested is as follows:

(a) Total number of samples that were originally tested by LGC

Up to 4,257

(Note: This is the total number of samples that had been sent to LGC by DEFRA: results had been reported to DEFRA for 2,420 of these at the time the problem was identified.)

(b) Number of samples that were originally tested that were found to have been wrong

At the time the problems emerged, LGC estimated that up to 356 samples had been wrongly reported to DEFRA. A definitive figure could not be arrived at prior to re-testing of all samples.

(c) Total number of samples that have been retested

4,257

(Note: That is, all the samples that had been sent to LGC were re-tested.)

(d) The total number of samples that have been re-tested that were subsequently found to be wrong.

304

The number that had been reported to sheep flock owners is 39, representing less that 0.2 per cent. of the total samples processed by the two private-sector laboratories (of which LGC is one) contracted to provide genotyping services to DEFRA.

(Note: The figure of 304 is the number of original samples which, as a result of re-testing, were found to have had been wrongly reported to DEFRA.)

Mains Sewerage

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to set targets to reduce the number of residential properties not connected to mains sewerage. [32264]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 February 2002]: It would not be practicable to set targets as it is largely a matter between householders and sewerage undertakers which has to be considered on a case-by-case basis. If their existing non mains drainage system is causing an environmental or amenity problem, householders can apply to the sewerage undertaker to provide mains sewerage, the cost of which would be met by customers generally if the specified criteria are met. Alternatively, a householder not on mains sewerage can requisition a sewer from the sewerage undertaker with the householder meeting the cost.

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many residential properties in each region have been connected to mains sewerage for the first time in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [32265]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 5 February 2002]: Ofwat does not collect information on how many residential properties in each region are connected to mains sewerage each year. It collects estimates from sewerage companies each year of the number of households served by those companies. Estimates for the year 2001–02 are published by Ofwat in "Tariff structure and charges 2001–02 report". Copies are in the Library. The figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are as follows.

11 Feb 2002 : Column 90W

Thousand

	Householders
	2000–01	2001–02
Anglian Water	2,188	2,208
Dwy Cymru	1,177	1,192
United Utilities	2,706	2,737
Northumbrian Water	1,049	1,042
Severn Trent Water	3,291	3,314
South West Water	569	576
Southern Water	1,610	1,628
Thames Water	4,830	4,883
Wessex Water	982	947
Yorkshire Water	1,864	1,886

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