§ 60. Mr. Parkerasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye as representing 482 the Forestry Commissioners what was the acreage planted and replanted, respectively, by the Forestry Commissioners in the season 1940–41?
§ Colonel Sir George Courthope (Forestry Commissioner)In the season 1940–41 the Forestry Commission planted 21,191 acres and replanted 5,270 acres, the total being 26,461 acres.
§ 61. Mr. Parkerasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what was the acreage felled and thinned, respectively, by the Forestry Commissioners in the season 1940–41?
§ Sir G. CourthopeIn the forest year ended 30th September last, on Forestry Commission properties there were felled 5,794. acres and thinned 4,835 acres. Fellings now continue throughout the year, and records are kept by forest years.
§ 62. Mr. Parkerasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the Forestry Commissioners intended planting programme for the season 1941–42?
§ Sir G. CourthopeThe Forestry Commission planting programme for the season 1941–42 is not yet settled but will be approximately 22,000 to 23,000 acres.
Captain DuncanHas the planting programme been hampered by lack of labour, and if so, will my right hon. and gallant Friend make representations that prisoners of war should be brought over to do this work?
§ Sir G. CourthopeThe planting programme is hampered by lack of labour only to this extent, that we regulate the amount of labour we are keeping on our plantations by the fire danger and the number of men required to deal with fires; those men are employed on the forestry programme, which is regulated accordingly.