AFFORESTATION. (Hansard, 5 July 1915)

§ 11. Mr. ANDERSON
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether there has been a shortage of timber and a rise in the price of timber, owing largely to difficulties of oversea transit created by the War; whether he is aware that we import between thirty and forty million pounds worth of timber each year; that only 5 per cent, of the land of England is covered with trees, as compared with 35 per cent, in Sweden, 35 per cent, in Hungary, 25 per cent, in Germany, and 42 per cent, in Russia; and that the Royal Commission on Afforestation stated that in England, Scotland, and Ireland there were 9,000,000 acres of land available and suitable for afforestation; whether any step was taken to carry out the recommendations of that Commission; and whether he can hold out any hope that his Department will profit by the economic lessons of the War?

§ Mr. ACLAND
The facts are generally as stated by the hon. Member. An account of the action taken to develop forestry in 12 England and Wales since the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion and Afforestation issued their Report will be found in the Report of the Forestry Branches of the Board and the Office of Woods [Cd. 7488] published last year. The lessons of the War as it affects forestry are receiving, and will continue to receive, the earnest attention of the Department, but it is too early to make a pronouncement on the subject.

Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTT
May I ask whether the steps were only taken in England and Wales?

§ Mr. ACLAND
No. Sir; Scotland has an ample share in this as in all other matters.

§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the recommendations of the Commission are some five or six years old?

§ Mr. ACLAND
It takes rather a long time to acquire proper areas for afforestation, to get the planting under weigh, and so on. It is a Department in which premature rash action would be most unwise.

§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE
Was not the statement made on behalf of the Government that this afforestation would give employment to many thousands of men unemployed?

§ Mr. ACLAND
Yes, and that is a very good reason for not going on with it now.