§ 71. Mr. WESTWOODasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the acreage of land in Scotland under afforestation in 1914; the acreage under afforestation in 1926; and the acreage which is being dealt with under any afforestation scheme, with the counties in which these schemes are in operation?
§ Sir L. FORESTIER-WALKERI have been asked to reply. There are no comparable data showing the area under afforestation in Scotland in 1914 and 1926. The Board of Agriculture returns (Cd. 7958) give the area of woods and plantations in Scotland in 1914 as 852,120 acres. The preliminary figures for the census of woodland, 1924, show that the total area which is, or has been, woodland in recent years is 1,074,200 acres, but of that total 558,000 acres only are economic woodland (high forest and coppice), the remainder being scrub, felled areas and amenity woodland. The Commissioners are planting 6,570 acres this season in Scotland, and have approved as eligible for afforestation grants 139 schemes on private estates. These schemes are in 28 Scottish counties.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONAre we to understand that in this period from 1914 to 1926 there has only been an increase of 6,000 acres under afforestation?
§ Sir L. FORESTIER-WALKERNo, I do not think the hon. Member must understand that. I think it is quite probable that the first returns were not as accurate as our later returns.