How many people work on farms? 

Overs and out

Mark Nicholas, the new President of the MCC, suggested he would favour ending the annual Eton vs Harrow cricket match at Lord’s when its future is next reviewed in 2027. Which school is the better at cricket?

– The fixture has been running since 1805, 72 years before the first test match.

– Eton has won 60 matches, Harrow 57 and 68 have been a draw.

– Harrow are the current champions, having won the last two matches.

– The match used to attract crowds larger than some Test matches, with 38,000 spectators attending over two days in 1914.

– Eton has produced the most players who have gone on to play for England: 15, against 6 for Harrow

– However, Harrow has produced the two most recent England players, in Nick Compton and Gary Ballance.

Net benefits

Jeremy Hunt wants to dock the benefits of those who refuse job interviews. What were the most-claimed benefits in February?

State pension                                     12.64m

Universal credit                                  5.84m

Personal independence payment     2.96m

Housing benefit                                  2.44m

Employment/ support allowance     1.63m

Attendance allowance                       1.59m

Pension credit                                      1.37m

Carer’s allowance                              1.36m

Income support                                153,000

Jobseeker’s allowance                      93,000

Source: Department for Work and Pensions

Country files

How many people work on farms? In June, the agricultural workforce in England was 292,000, a fall of 2.9% on a year earlier. The age breakdown was:

16-24 1%

25-34  5%

35-44    10%

45-54    18%

55-64    32%

65+       35%

Source: Defra

Ratings war

Adam Boulton called for GB News to be taken off air because it was trying to ‘bust the delicate and important broadcast ecology’ in Britain. How are the older TV news channels doing compared with the newer ones? Figures for ‘four-week reach:

                                    Aug 2023        Aug 2021

BBC News                9.54m          12.34m

Sky News                  8.09m            8.82m

GB News                   2.79m           2.28m

Talk TV                     1.38m              –

Source: Barb