HC Deb 24 July 1958 vol 592 cc684-90
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Hare)

With your permission, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, and that of the House, I should like to make a statement about forestry policy.

This has been reviewed by the Government in accordance with the announcement made in October, 1957. In the light of current conditions—strategic, economic, agricultural and social—they have reached the following conclusions.

The planting programmes of the Forestry Commission should be fixed for periods of ten years at a time. For the five-year period 1959 to 1963, the programme will be about 300,000 acres, which allows for some increase over the present annual rate of planting. For the period 1964 to 1968, the planting programme will be reduced to about 235,000 acres, when the Forestry Commission's existing plantations will begin to come into full production.

The size of the subsequent programmes should be reviewed in five years' time in the light of the national needs. In deciding where planting shall take place, special attention will be paid to the upland areas, particularly in Scotland and Wales, where expansion of forestry would provide needed diversification of employment and important social benefits.

The Government propose to continue their support to private woodland owners, particularly through the dedication scheme. The present maintenance grant of 5s. 6d. per acre will be replaced by a management grant of 18s. per acre on the first 100 acres, 12s. per acre on the next 100 acres and 7s. per acre on the remainder. This will substantially increase the value of the grants, particularly on the smaller woodlands.

Secondly, the planting grant will be continued, but for approved woodlands it will be raised from one half to the full rate per acre. These increased grants are contingent on the formation of an effective woodland owners' association, as recommended by the Watson Committee.

Thirdly, the grants for thinning and poplar planting will be terminated. The new structure of grants will be reviewed in five years' time. In reviewing, in future years, the level of grants, consideration will be given not only to trends in costs, but also to trends in receipts for private woodlands as a whole. As production from private woods taken as a whole—and thus the income of private owners as a body—rises, the level of assistance needed by way of planting and management grants will fall. Eventually—in say, twenty to thirty years' time—it should become nominal.

The system of felling licences will be continued. In present circumstances, it does not seem necessary to continue to fix a quota for the total annual felling, but the licensing system will be continued though with some relaxations. A Statutory Instrument will be made so that fellings in dedicated woodlands will no longer require a licence.

In addition, licences will, in general, be freely granted for other fellings subject to the existing arrangements for consultation with planning authorities. In order, however, to provide against the undesirable exploitation of woodland areas the licences will normally have a condition attached requiring restocking. And licences for thinning or selective felling will not be granted where they would, in effect, permit exploitation without restocking.

The Government recognise the importance to the forestry industry of an efficient home-grown timber trade. They believe that the measures just announced will be welcomed by the trade as well as by woodland owners, and will help both to plan ahead with confidence.

Mr. Champion

I welcome the announcement made by the Minister, particularly so far as the next five years are concerned, but I have some doubts about the subsequent five years' programme which he has announced. The present difficulty of the Forestry Commission, I understand—and it has been the case for some time—is that of the acquisition of land. Can the Minister say something more about that aspect, particularly as he proposes to step up the present annual rate?

Another point which I should like to put to the right hon. Gentleman is that the Zuckerman Committee told us that there was a lack of co-operation between the right hon. Gentleman's Department and the Forestry Commission, particularly on the integration of agriculture and forestry. This is extremely important, and I hope that the Minister is looking at this. On the question of a woodlands association, as suggested by the Watson Committee, has he made tentative inquiries? Are the owners likely to form such an association?

Mr. Hare

I would point out that the Forestry Commission has every confidence that it will be able to carry out the first five years' programme, which I have indicated in my statement. As to the second five years' programme, I would point out that the first results of the coming into fruition of the early estates of the Forestry Commissions will be beginning to take effect and, therefore, the activities of the Commission, so far as employment is concerned, will remain fairly stable.

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself are working in very close conjunction with the Forestry Commission. I have said in my statement that these new grants are conditional on the forming of a private woodland owners' association.

Sir W. Anstruther-Gray

My right hon. Friend talked about trends in receipts and costs. Will he give an assurance that the woodland owners will be taken into consultation in assessing what are, in fact, the trends in receipts and costs?

Mr. Hare

I will willingly give my hon. and gallant Friend that assurance. The Forestry Commission will be consulting with the woodland owners organisations on these matters.

Mr. Woodburn

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, or the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he is aware that in Scotland there are still great stretches of land left derelict and that it is thought that this is due to the reluctance of the Forestry Commission to use its compulsory powers when it cannot get reasonable agreements? Will the Forestry Commission proceed more vigorously in Scotland to deal with that type of area?

Secondly, in the development of these areas, is the Forestry Commission still considering the question of getting suitable industries to work in conjunction with wood production in areas like Cannich and Glen Affric, where there will be a tremendous production of wood, or in Argyllshire and the development of pulp mills? What steps are to be taken by the Forestry Commission to help in this development, because the repopulation of the Highlands depends very largely on the development of trees and forestry?

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. John Maclay)

I am not aware that reluctance to use compulsory powers is an element in slowing down the Forestry Commission's work. This is a new comment to me which the right hon. Gentleman has made.

As to the Forestry Commission's willingness to work with industries which are related to woodland, I can assure him that the Commission is very well aware of this and is ready to work with any industry which is interested in its products.

Mr. Turton

While I am glad to gather from the reply of my right hon. Friend that the relationship of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Forestry Commission continues to be friendly, are we to understand that there has been an examination of the administration of the Forestry Commission in the light of Professor Zuckerman's Report and that my right hon. Friend is satisfied that there should be no change at all in the method of administration and no better way of rendering advice on forestry matters to him and his right hon. Friend?

Mr. Hare

Those matters did not come within the Government's examination in the policy statement which I have made. I answered the question put to me when it was suggested that there was no close relationship between myself and my right hon. Friend and the Forestry Commission. We are working in the closest possible association. The recommendation of the Zuckerman Committee's Report is a different matter, which requires completely separate consideration.

Mr. Dye

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in his statement he made no reference to forestry workers, or their conditions of employment and living? May I ask him whether efforts will be made to modernise the cottages of the forestry workers, in view of the fact that grants are given in agriculture for modernisation and that kind of work for forestry seems to have been brought to an end?

Mr. Hare

As the hon. Gentleman will remember, I pointed out quite strongly, in answer to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Champion), that employment under the Forestry Commission should remain stable during the ten years about which we are talking. I will look with sympathy at the other point which the hon. Gentleman has made.

Sir J. Henderson-Stewart

In view of the importance of the statement which we have heard, probably the most important on forestry which we have had since the war—the detailed nature of the statement and the great interest obviously displayed in it—can my right hon. Friend give an assurance that as soon as possible when we return after the Recess we shall have a full day's debate on this matter?

Mr. Hare

All I can say is that my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House is sitting next to me, and that I am sure he will listen to the representations that have been made.

Mr. Woodburn

I should like to ask a further question about the future. There has been a forestry programme, at least for Scotland, for about fifty years ahead. The Forestry Commission, I understand, has fallen very far behind because of the difficulty in acquiring land. Would it not be possible, before the requested debate takes place, to have a properly detailed programme of what is to happen to forestry, and to see that the Forestry Commission is equipped with powers for development in Scotland to the utmost extent socially and economically?

Mr. Maclay

The statement which my right hon. Friend has made, and with which I agree, makes the position completely clear, but I will note what the right hon. Gentleman has said.

Mr. Kimball

Can we take it from the right hon. Gentleman's statement about increased grants to private woodland owners that the Government continue to attach the greatest importance to the development of private woodland? Is my right hon. Friend aware that many of us will be disappointed to find that he has not decided to split the Forestry Commission into two halves, one half concerned with woodland estates which should show a profit, and the other half concerned with giving advice and the administration of grants?

Mr. Hare

I assure my hon. Friend that I, personally, believe that the private woodland owner has just as important a part to play as the State in maintaining a sound forestry industry. I touched on the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question in my previous answer. That was a separate matter, which was not discussed in the present review of policy.

Sir L. Plummer

Will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance to the House that the valuable assistance now given by the Forestry Commission to farmers who want to replant scrub land and land covered by bushes and trees will not be interfered with, and that assistance, supported by financial grants, will continue under this new scheme?

Mr. Hare

Yes, Sir, I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. The Forestry Commission is most anxious, as he knows, to co-operate as much as possible with the farming community.

Mr. Whitelaw

Is the Minister aware that there is some concern about the lack of adequate markets for our home-grown timber? Is he further aware that some Government Departments and nationalised industries continue to use imported timber when home-grown timber could equally well be used, and will he give instructions to those bodies that whenever possible home-grown timber should be used?

Mr. Hare

I will bear in mind what the hon. Member says. I think that when he reads my statement he will realise that I believe the measures just announced will be welcomed by the trade as well as the woodland owners and will enable them to plan ahead with confidence.

Mr. Speir

Can my right hon. Friend say whether it is his intention to adhere to this policy even if the European Free Trade Area arrangements come into operation? May I also reinforce the plea made by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Henderson-Stewart) that there should be a debate at the earliest possible opportunity on the whole Government policy in this matter?

Mr. Hare

In answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, as I made clear, the position will be looked at again in five years' time. During the next five years we are increasing the annual rate of planting by the Forestry Commission.