HC Deb 17 May 1956 vol 552 c2198
32 and 33. Mr. J Eden

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what acreage of land has already been sold as surplus to the requirements of the Forestry Commission;

(2) whether a final decision has yet been reached on the total acreage of land to be regarded as surplus to the requirements of the Forestry Commission and to be sold.

Mr. Amory

It has so far been decided to sell about 28,000 acres, 643 acres of which have been sold.

Mr. Eden

Has my right hon. Friend reviewed the Government's policy relating to the retention of land by the Forestry Commission for a strategic reserve as the result of recent developments in nuclear energy? Will my right hon. Friend speed up the sale of all land under his control which is not likely to be used for forestry purposes?

Mr. Amory

The general overall policy is always under consideration, and under consideration in the light of the matter to which my hon. Friend has referred. As to the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, we are anxious to release for sale all land which is not going to be required for planting and which is not so intermixed with forestry land as to make it impracticable. There is another thing that I would ask my hon. Friend to remember, and that is the utility of holding a certain number of small, unplanted holdings in the vicinity of the plantations for the use of part-time forestry workers.