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Labour Force

Environment Food and Rural Affairs written question – answered on 1 April 2003.

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Photo of Nick Harvey Nick Harvey Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the UK work force were employed in agriculture in each of the past 10 years, broken down by (a) region and (b) type of farm.

Photo of Elliot Morley Elliot Morley Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

holding answer 25 March 2003

The information is given in the tables for (a) UK total and regions in England and (b) UK farm types.

Information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is published in Agriculture in the United Kingdom for 2001 and 2002 and in Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom for earlier years. These can be found on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/esg/m publications.htm

(a) Agricultural labour force as a percentage of total labour force
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
North East 1.33 1.30 1.24 1.24 1.06 1.20 1.18 1.13 1.23 1.17
North West 1.60 1.59 1.54 1.52 1.30 1.44 1.32 1.32 1.33 1.25
Yorkshire and the Humber 2.05 2.00 1.91 1.87 1.60 1.79 1.74 1.71 1.79 1.73
East Midlands 2.65 2.55 2.48 2.41 2.07 2.33 2.18 2.16 2.23 2.14
West Midlands 2.10 2.06 1.99 1.97 1.68 1.91 1.82 1.86 1.92 1.83
Eastern 2.63 2.54 2.46 2.38 2.02 2.31 2.12 2.05 2.10 2.02
London 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03
South East 1.76 1.70 1.63 1.58 1.35 1.55 1.44 1.32 1.38 1.35
South West 3.91 3.88 3.72 3.69 3.16 3.55 3.43 3.44 3.42 3.25
UK Total 2.29 2.26 2.19 2.15 1.84 2.07 1.95 1.90 1.92 1.88

Notes:

For England years 1993–99 include main holdings only, years 2000–02 include main and minor holdings. A greater degree of estimation has been used for the years 1993–97

Source:

June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture, SEERAD, DARD, NAWAD, ONS.

(b) Agricultural labour force as a percentage of total UK labour force by farm type
Farm type 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Cereals 0.21 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.18 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.21 0.20
General cropping 0.28 0.27 0.27 0.26 0.21 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.18
Horticulture 0.23 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.17 0.20 0.20 0.19 0.19 0.19
Pigs and poultry 0.10 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.08
Dairy 0.34 0.37 0.36 0.34 0.28 0.30 0.28 0.26 0.24 0.24
Cattle and sheep (LFA) 0.43 0.41 0.40 0.40 0.34 0.39 0.38 0.36 0.35 0.36
Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.32 0.29 0.28 0.28 0.24 0.27 0.26 0.27 0.26 0.28
Mixed 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.19 0.16 0.18 0.16 0.15 0.15 0.14
Other types 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.17 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.24 0.22
All types 2.29 2.26 2.19 2.15 1.84 2.07 1.95 1.90 1.92 1.88

Notes

For England years 1993–99 include main holdings only, years 2000–02 include main and minor holdings. A greater degree of estimation has been used for the years 1993–97.

Source:

June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture, SEERAD, DARD, NAWAD

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