28. Mr. Vaneasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his attention has been drawn to paragraph 89 of the Watson Committee's Report on Timber Marketing, which relates to the high cost of transporting timber; and to what extent this is found to be affecting the profitability of the Forestry Commission's less accessible plantations.
§ Mr. GodberMy right hon. Friend has noted the paragraph to which my hon. Friend refers. There are so many factors affecting the prices which the Forestry Commission receives for thinnings, which form the bulk of its current production, and markets are so varied, that it is not possible to determine precisely the effect on price of distance from any particular market.
Mr. VaneWill my hon. Friend ask his right hon. Friend to get in touch with the Forestry Commission particularly to investigate this matter of prices in the remote districts, especially on the West Coast of Scotland? If he does, he will be rather alarmed and will not again give such a complacent Answer.
§ Mr. GodberI am sorry if my hon. Friend thought that my Answer was complacent, but I can assure him that my right hon. Friend is keenly interested in this matter and will certainly take note of the points my hon. Friend has made.