§ 23. Mr. G. TERRELLasked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether difficulty is being experienced in securing adequate supplies of English ash timber for aeronautical purposes; whether a certain league has been entrusted by the Air Board with the work of obtaining through voluntary workers particulars as to the number and position of suitable ash trees throughout the country; and, if so, why the existing machinery of the Board of Agriculture is not being utilised for this purpose?
Sir A. STANLEYMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Special efforts are being made to increase supplies of home-grown timber, including ash, and the Aerial League of the British Empire is rendering voluntary assistance in obtaining information, arrangements to this end having been made by the Controller of Aeronautical Supplies, with the concurrence of 12 the Controller of Timber Supplies, in whom is now vested the machinery of the late Home-grown Timber Committee of the Board of Agriculture.