§ 87 Mr. MUNRO-FERGUSONasked (87) whether the recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Forestry, which reported last year, have been submitted to the Development Commissioners and approved or rejected by them; (88) whether any funds out of the Grant to the Board of Agriculture have been ear-marked for the purpose of setting up the promised department of forestry; (89) whether a date can now be given for the setting up of the promised department of forestry in connection with the Board of Agriculture?
Mr. McKINNON WOODAs my right hon. Friend is aware, I have recently set up a Committee to advise the Board of Agriculture in matters relating to forestry, of which my right hon. Friend himself has been good enough to consent to be a member. His questions, therefore, seem to me to be somewhat premature. I think it is only right that the Advisory Committee should have an opportunity of expressing its views before the Board of Agriculture takes steps such as are suggested in my right hon. Friend's questions. These include both the question of a formal application to the Development Commission for a Grant for the development of forestry and the question of expenditure on administration; but I think I should add this: I have every expectation that money will be found from other sources for the development of forestry, but I should not be justified in holding out hopes that it will be possible to allocate any large sum for the purpose—such as, for example, would be required for the provision of a demonstration area—from the present Grant to the Board of Agriculture. The most urgent 387 claim upon that Grant must be the provision of small holdings, for which we have a very large number of applications from men of satisfactory character and suitable experience.
§ Mr. MUNRO-FERGUSONThe answer of the right hon. Gentleman does not meet my question. I asked whether a date can be given for the setting up of the promised department of forestry in connection with the Board of Agriculture, and with respect to that I should like to ask him what is the use of an Advisory Committee that has no department to which to report?
Mr. McKINNON WOODIn my judgment one of the uses of the Advisory Committee is to advise the Board of Agriculture what staff is necessary. I do not think my right hon. Friend would have thought it very respectful to the Advisory Committee if the Board of Agriculture had settled all questions before the Advisory Committee had had an opportunity of expressing an opinion. If the right hon. Gentleman, however, means a department of forestry independent of the Board of Agriculture, I cannot fix a date, because I have no intention of setting up such a body.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEAm I correct in imagining that the right hon. Gentleman said that the Government have done nothing for forestry in Scotland, and have no intention of doing anything?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI cannot imagine that the Noble Lord could have drawn that conclusion from the answer I have given.
§ Mr. MUNRO-FERGUSONAm I to assume, from the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, that there is no answer that can be given to my question as to the date for setting up the proposed Department of Forestry in connection with the Board of Agriculture, and does he mean to go back upon the pledge of his predecessor in respect to the setting up of that Department?
Mr. McKINNON WOODNo, Sir. I am not going back on the pledges of my predecessor, so far as I am aware, but I am setting up the machinery for dealing with forestry. I really cannot understand the impatience of my right hon. Friend, who is a member of the Advisory Committee which has been appointed for the 388 purpose of advising the Board of Agriculture what machinery shall be set up.
§ Mr. MUNRO-FERGUSONIs the right hon. Gentleman under the impression that an Advisory Committee and a Forestry Department are one and the same thing?