HC Deb 04 May 1961 vol 639 cc1572-3
8. Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to encourage education authorities to ensure that home-grown timber is used for the training of young people in woodworking.

Sir D. Eccles

Local education authorities are free to decide what timber to use to meet their special requirements. I am, however, grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing attention to this matter and I hope that, where suitable, local education authorities will use home timber.

Mr. Digby

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, although we still have relatively the smallest forest area in the whole of Europe, more home-grown timber is coming along and it is important that people should be taught how to use and work with it?

Sir D. Eccles

I agree.