§ 14 and 33. Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) whether he is. aware that in England three Boards are charged with the responsibility of forwarding afforestation; whether he is aware that the Board of Agriculture and the Board of Works provide the trees and that a third Board has been formed for deciding how and where they are to be planted, and that. 40,000,000 forest trees have been placed at the disposal of planters; whether he can arrange that this system can be adopted by the Department of Agriculture in Ireland; whether he is aware that adequate funds are not provided, and that since 1913 the payments to the endowment fund have been seriously reduced, the area of woods cleared largely increased, and the acreage arid rate of replanting reduced; whether he can state what the Government intend to do regarding afforestation; (2) whether he is aware that Ireland is being largely denuded of trees; whether he can state what measures are being taken to prevent the wholesale cutting of trees in certain areas; whether planting is being carried out and on what scale; and whether there is any hope of bringing into operation the recommendations made by the Irish Afforestation Commission?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Duke)I am informed that the statements in the first question are not correct. The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries is the statutory forestry 469 authority for England and Wales and as such has control over administrative matters concerning afforestation. The Board are dealing with the question of raising large numbers of seedlings for planting out after the War. The number given in the question (40,000,000) is substantially correct, but they have not yet been placed at the disposal of planters. Owing to war requirements and the scarcity of imported timber, home-grown timber is being utilised in Ireland on an extended scale. The Department of Agriculture have no power to prevent the felling of trees save in so far as their consent is required under Section 32 of the Irish Land Act, 1909. Planting is being carried out, but I am informed that it is not on a scale sufficient to keep pace with fellings. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for West Cavan on 28th June last, and add that the whole question of afforestation is engaging the attention of the Government.