§ 53. Colonel CLIFTON BROWNasked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many acres have been acquired and are under negotiation for sale in the North Tyne valley respectively?
§ Colonel ROPNER (for the Forestry Commissioners)In the North Tyne valley 59,208 acres have been acquired by 696 the Forestry Commissioners, and 12,905 acres are under negotiation for sale to them.
Colonel BROWNIn view of the large area of land which the Forestry Commission have already acquired, may I ask what justification there is for paying 29 or 30 years' purchase for further land?
§ Colonel ROPNERI should like notice of that question. There is a large number of questions which have to be considered apart from the price of the land.
54. Colonel BROWNasked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many acres adjoining the North Tyne valley in Cumberland and Scotland, respectively, have now been acquired?
§ Colonel ROPNER10,595 acres adjoining the North Tyne valley have been acquired in Cumberland. The Forestry Commissioners have no land in Scotland adjoining that valley.
§ Miss WILKINSONMay I ask how many men from distressed areas the Forestry Commission propose to settle on this land?
§ Colonel ROPNERPerhaps the hon. Lady will wait for the next question.
55. Colonel BROWNasked the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, how many acres in one contiguous block on the Northumberland, Cumberland, Scottish borders have been acquired, and to what acreage is it proposed to extend this future forest?
§ Colonel ROPNER79,856 acres in one contiguous block on the Northumberland, Cumberland, Scottish borders have been acquired by the Forestry Commissioners. It is not possible to forecast the ultimate extent of this forest area.
Colonel BROWNIn view of the large area of land which has already been acquired, is it not time to call a halt and see whether the money which has been expended is really worth while?
§ Colonel ROPNERI can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the money spent by the Forestry Commission is always worth while.
§ Miss WILKINSONHaving waited for the answer to the question to which the hon. and gallant Gentleman referred me, I have not received the information for which I asked.
§ Colonel ROPNERI regret that the question to which I referred is down for to-morrow.