To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely prospects for financial viability in the hill farming sector in the next 10 years. (293180)

The Secretary of State has not made any particular assessment of the financial viability of the hill farming sector in the next 10 years.

Shortly, we will publish the most recent data from the Farm Business survey showing farm incomes by farm type, including hill farms, in the year ended February 2009.

Early next year, DEFRA will be publishing forecasts of farm income in England for the year ending February 2010, by farm type, including hill farms.