To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dairy farms went out of business in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of these farms were located in Cheshire. (145110)

Information on numbers of holdings is collected in the annual June survey of agriculture and horticulture. No information is collected on the number of holdings leaving the industry. The following figures show the number of registered holdings at June each year where dairy was the predominant activity. These figures show net change only and therefore include gains as well as losses.