§ 53. Mr. Baldwinasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the damage done in some districts to farm crops by rabbits coming from forestry 1419 plantations; and whether he will instruct the Forestry Commission to take steps to kill these pests instead of spending money in purchasing wire netting to prevent such damage.
Mr. T. WilliamsI have heard complaints both that damage has been done to agricultural crops by rabbits coming from woodlands, and that woodland owners have suffered on account of rabbits coming from neighbouring land. I am satisfied that the Forestry Commission are most active in controlling rabbits on their properties. New plantations cannot be formed without destroying any rabbits present; wire netting is frequently necessary to prevent rabbits getting into the plantations and destroying the young trees.
§ Mr. BaldwinWhile I appreciate that this is a two-way traffic, may I remind the Minister of the correspondence which I recently had with him—and I thank him for the trouble he took over the matter—in which he informed me that the Forestry Commission were putting up wire to stop their rabbits getting on the farmers' land? It seems to me that it should be the other way about. The rabbits are doing as much damage on the Forestry Commission's land as on the agricultural land. Why not kill the rabbits?
Mr. WilliamsSurely the hon. Gentleman must know that when the Forestry Commission wire in an area it is in order that they may destroy all the rabbits within that area.
§ Mr. M. Philips PriceIs it not a fact that Forestry Commission woodlands are freer from rabbits than many private properties around them?