§ 36. Sir HENRY CRAIKasked the Prime Minister if it can be arranged that 865 the Forestry Commission shall be placed under some Department of the State so that a Minister shall be responsible for the allocation of grants, and so that Parliamentary criticism of such allocation may be facilitated?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs I stated in Debate on the 29th ultimo, the Government propose to consider the relations between the Forestry Commission and other Government Departments. The Forestry Commission was established under the Forestry Act, 1919, and an alteration of its status would presumably involve legislation.
§ Sir H. CRAIKCannot that legislation be undertaken in view of the fact that considerable doubt has arisen as to the justice of the action of the Commission?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONDo the Government propose to introduce any such legislation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe whole question of the relations of the forestry policy has been under the consideration of the Government for two or three months. We want to deal with the whole matter, not in a piecemeal way, but in a sympathetic and complete way. Before long I hope we shall be able to say definitely whether we think that the Forestry Commission does require, in view of the immediate urgency, special legislation.
§ Sir H. CRAIKIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the discrimination made by the Forestry Commission between the different universities and the unfair advantage that has been given to one university above all others?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROn that point no representations have been made to me. Probably they would go to the Education Department and not to the Foreign Office or to my Department.