HC Deb 21 February 1918 vol 103 c906
14. Mr. FIELD

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in view of the felling of timber in Ireland and the-absence of replanting and the feeling of the Irish people in this matter, as expressed by the county councils, the Irish Forestry Society, etc., the Government will immediately pass a Regulation under the Defence of the Realm Act providing that in all cases where trees in a wood or plantation are cut down and the proceeds of sale or value of the timber cut exceeds £30 that either one-fourth of this sum or an amount sufficient for replanting, whichever sum be the lesser, be paid over by the purchaser to the Department of Agriculture to be invested and held in trust for the owner of the plantation until such time as he has replanted the felled area or planted an equivalent area to the satisfaction of the Department's forestry officer, whose certificate will entitle the owner to a refund of the sum held in trust by the Department?

Mr. DUKE

I have communicated the suggestion in the hen. Member's question to the Department of Agriculture, who will, I am sure, carefully consider it.