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12 Nov 2003 : Column 292W—continued

Farm Subsidies

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid to small farmers, broken down by region and nation of the UK, in respect of set aside in 2002. [138236]

Alun Michael: £1,462,507.39 was paid to small producers in England in respect of set-aside land under the 2002 Arable Area Payments Scheme broken down by the regions covered by the former MAFF Regional Service Centres as follows. The details for the other nations of the UK are a matter for their own devolved Assemblies.

	Value of payments (£)
Wessex	77,251.61
Anglia	357,857.83
Northern	54,357.30
North Mercia	75,573.83
South West	146,351.33
North East	140,390.60
East Midlands	184,345.21
South East	296,056.08
South Mercia	130,323.60

Farmers (Age Profiles)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average age is of British farmers; and how this has changed over the last 30 years. [137283]

Mr. Bradshaw: The average age of holders in the United Kingdom has increased from 53 in 1975 (the earliest year for which figures are available) to 54 in 2000. The available data are shown in the table:

	Estimated Average age of UK holders
1975	53
1990	53
1993	53
1995	54
1997	53
2000	54

Notes:

The EC Farm Structure Survey is held across all Member States of the European Union four times each decade, to assess the agricultural situation across the Community and to monitor trends in the structure of holdings.

The holder is defined as the (natural or legal) person in whose name the holding, be a hereditary long-term leaseholder, or a usufructuary or a trustee.

The data are collected in age bands. The average age has been calculated by utilising the mid-point of each age band. A mid point of 67 is assumed for the age band "Aged 65 and over".

Source:EC Farm Structure Survey

Farmers (Bankruptcy)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farmers have become bankrupt in each of the past five years. [137277]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data on farming bankruptcies for England and Wales are given in the table. The last whole year for which bankruptcy figures are available is 2002, figures for 2003 are for the first two quarters.

12 Nov 2003 : Column 293W

Between 1998 and 2002 total farming bankruptcies have been between 200 and 300; this represents less than 0.1 per cent. of farmers, partners and directors and their spouses ¹ in England and Wales.

Number of bankruptcies⁽³⁾ in the agricultural and horticultural sectorEngland and Wales 1998–2003

	Total Bankruptcies
1998	222
1999	258
2000	240
2001	273
2002	208
2003(4)	117

⁽²⁾ June Agricultural and Horticultural Census. Data on farmers are not separately available.

⁽³⁾ Department of Trade and Industry. Includes bankruptcies of self-employed individuals and company insolvencies.

⁽⁴⁾ Q1 and Q2

Farmers Markets

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the regional farm produce markets in England. [137274]

Mr. Bradshaw: This information is not held centrally but a list of farmers' markets selling regional farm produce can be found on the National Association of Farmers' Markets website http://www.farmersmarkets.net.

Farming

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers are working in (a) the north west, (b) Lancashire and (c) the Chorley constituency. [136919]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data for the total number farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total.

Figures for 2002 are as follows:

Farmers, partners, directors and spouses (full and part time)

North west	27,392
Lancashire CC	7,783
Chorley	569

Note:

The north west region includes Merseyside.

Source:

June 2002 Agricultural Census.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers are in (a) dairy, (b) arable, (c) sheep, (d) beef, (e) poultry, (f) other and (g) pig farming in (i) the north west, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) Chorley. [136920]

Mr. Bradshaw: Agricultural and horticultural holdings are classified annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census into nine different types.

12 Nov 2003 : Column 294W

For 2002 the figures are:

Farmers, partners, directors and spouses (full and part time) by farm type

FF farm type	North west	Lancashire CC	Chorley
Cereals	905	136	12
General cropping	1,047	525	16
Horticulture	1,543	677	50
Pigs and poultry	1,060	408	47
Dairy	7,381	2,062	123
Cattle and sheep (LFA)	5,683	1,565	44
Cattle and sheep (lowland)	5,300	1,209	143
Mixed	1,231	272	40
Other types	3,242	930	95
All types	27,392	7,783	569

Notes:

1. LFA—less favoured area.

2. The north west region includes Merseyside.

Source:

June 2002 Agricultural Census.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy cows there were in each of the last five years; and what the average size of dairy herds was in each year in (a) the north west, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley. [136921]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data for dairy cows are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total.

For the last five years the figures are:

Dairy cows and average dairy herd size

	North west	Lancashire CC	Chorley
1998
Dairy cows	354,937	86,178	4,984
Average dairy herd size	83.9	78.7	73.1
1999
Dairy cows	361,748	86,728	4,713
Average dairy herd size	88.5	81.9	71.7
2000
Dairy cows	348,150	83,038	4,658
Average dairy herd size	92.9	85.1	76.2
2001
Dairy cows	289,194	83,402	4,748
Average dairy herd size	94.9	88.8	80.3
2002
Dairy cows	315,908	78,498	4,628
Average dairy herd size	90.7	86.1	79.7

Notes:

1. The north west region includes Merseyside.

2. Dairy cows—holdings with dairy cows producing milk.

3. Dairy herd—holdings with dairy cows producing milk and heifers in first calf.

4. 1993 to 1999 figures refer to main holdings only. 2000 onwards include main and minor holdings.

Source:

June Agricultural Census.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers left the industry in the last five years in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley. [136922]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data for the total number farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total. Figures are not available for each item.

12 Nov 2003 : Column 295W

Figures for the last five years show net changes only and include gains as well as losses.

The available figures cover all holdings for 2000–02 and only main holdings for 1998 and 1999.

Farmers, partners, directors and spouses (full and part-time)

	North west	Lancashire CC	Chorley
	Main holdings only
1998	26,536	7,444	500
1999	26,024	7,364	508
	Main and minor holdings
2000	27,538	7,949	595
2001	28,684	8,202	607
2002	27,392	7,783	569

Note:

The North West region includes Merseyside

Source:

June 2002 Agricultural Census

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the viability of the farming industry in East Sussex. [137275]

Mr. Bradshaw: The Government wants the whole country's farming industry to succeed. That is why we launched the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food on 12 December 2002. The Strategy builds on the work of Sir Don Curry's Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food and provides a clear and strategic long-term direction towards a more sustainable future. The Government will work in partnership with industry and other stakeholders to implement the strategy, providing the leadership to allow farmers to flourish by their own efforts and to become better connected to markets and consumer requirements.

We are making good progress towards delivering these objectives. Most recently through June's CAP reform agreement which represents a real shift in agricultural policy. It sets out a new course for agriculture in Europe: a sustainable future where farmers do not farm for subsidy but produce what consumers want to buy, delivering a key aim of the Strategy—reconnecting farmers to the market.

The Government has also established an Implementation Group of nine senior independent members, chaired by Sir Don Curry, to oversee delivery. Regional delivery plans have been drawn up to co-ordinate the approach within and between different areas of the country and the delivery plan for the south-east is now in the final stages of development.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers farm in East Sussex; and how many farmed there in 1993. [137251]

Mr. Bradshaw: Data for the total number farmers, partners, directors and spouses combined are collected annually from the June agricultural and horticultural census as a total.

Figures including main holdings are available only up to 1999.

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Total farmers, partners, directors and spouses (full and part-time) in East Sussex

	Number
Main holdings only
1993	3,051
1999	3,066
Main and minor holdings
2000	3,112
2002	3,326

Notes:

1. Spouses are included only if they are working on the holding.

2. Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001, figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.

Source:

June Agricultural Census.

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