§ 56. Captain BOWYERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has been made aware of the contents of the Report of the Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction Committee, printed in 1918; whether prior to the War this country was dependent on foreign countries for nearly two-thirds of its timber supply; whether the proportion of timber required for national use which was derived from sources within the Empire had been falling off steadily for fourteen years before the War; and whether, as a result, he will take steps to encourage and promote forestry in the Empire to reduce in the future of our present dependency on foreign countries for the supply of timber?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Sir Arthur Boscawen)Yes, Sir, my attention has been called to the report to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, and I am well aware of the dependence of this country on foreign supplies of timber before the War. The proposals which are now under consideration by the Government include the promotion of forestry within the Empire, with the view of meeting the conditions to which the question draws attention.