§ 44. Sir W. Smithersasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that two-thirds of Galley Hill Wood in the green belt area of Essex has, under an order obtained from the Timber Control Department of the Board of Trade, been felled without any prior consultation with either the Essex or London County Councils, who are the green belt authorities concerned, and without any reference to the Joint Planning Committee supervising that area; and whether, in order to preserve historic woodlands and in the interests of good forestry, he will transfer the control of the felling of growing timber to the Forestry Commission, coupled with an instruction that the town planning authority should always be consulted where the wholesale destruction of woodlands is involved.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)In reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on Thursday, 22nd April. In reply to the second part, I do not consider that it is at present desirable to mall the transfer suggested by the hon. Member. I am satisfied that there is adequate co-ordination between all the Departments concerned in this matter.
§ Sir W. SmithersMay I ask the Prime Minister what qualifications the President of the Board of Trade has to be timber dictator of Great Britain, and is not this another example of dictatorship?