HC Deb 09 December 1964 vol 703 cc1540-2
26. Mr. Brewis

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what outside impartial advice is available to him when deciding competing claims for land use between agriculture and forestry.

Mr. Willis

In each case the views of the chairman of the Agricultural Executive Committee are sought in confidence to supplement the advice given by agricultural and forestry officials. Where crofting interest is involved the Crofters' Commission is consulted.

Mr. Brewis

Would the Minister of State agree that, if fewer viable agriculture holdings had been planted up in earlier years, probably farmers would have been willing to give much more ground to forestry? Is it not essential that justice should appear to be done in land utilisation? Will he consider setting up a proper tribunal?

Mr. Willis

I am not quite certain what kind of land the hon. Gentleman is referring to, whether privately-owned land or land which is acquired by the Forestry Commission.

Mr. Brewis

Land which could be economically used for farming.

Mr. Willis

There is a proper procedure for determining the use of land acquired by the Commission. The hon. Gentleman was given a full description of this on 16th July. He probably remembers it. No planning permission is required to devote part of land which is privately owned at present to forestry. I should have thought that the farmer would use his land to the best advantage.

29. Mr. George Y. Mackie

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that, while the Forestry Commission has to satisfy the Department for Agriculture before using agricultural land for forestry, private owners are able to plant large areas of good agricultural land; and if he will take steps to control this situation.

Mr. Willis

I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, West (Mr. Hendry) on 1st December.

Mr. Mackie

Is the Minister aware that this question relates very largely to the competing interests of farming and forestry; and that unless he takes steps to control the situation on private land he will find great difficulty in getting the two interests to co-operate over Forestry Commission planting? I hope that this forms a large part of the Minister's plans for development in Scotland. Does he not agree that this is an extremely important situation, and that he needs to take steps to control it?

Mr. Willis

This problem does not arise to any considerable extent on land owned by the Forestry Commission. I think that during the past few years there has been an average of only one case a year coming to my right hon. Friend.

Mr. Mackie

I am talking about private land. Is the Minister aware that in the north-east of Scotland large areas of good agricultural land have been planted because there are immense taxation advantages to a really rich landlord, and that this arouses immense resentment?

Mr. Willis

I am aware now of the land to which the hon. Gentleman was referring, though he did not make that clear in his first supplementary question. As I said earlier, there is no control at the present time, and control could be obtained only by legislation. Up to the present it has never been thought that legislation should be introduced for this purpose.

Mr. Galbraith

Does not land used for forestry rather than for agriculture give greater employment prospects, and is it not very useful to encourage it in those areas where we are worried about lack of jobs making people leave the land?

Mr. Willis

There are a great many arguments about the respective merits of forestry and agriculture. As I understand that the land to which the hon. Gentleman refers is quite suitable for forestry there does not seem any reason why it should not have been afforested. I must admit that I did not know anything about the special taxation benefits that can accrue. We are certainly quite prepared to keep the matter under observation in order to see what happens, but up to now we have not really come across this problem in such serious form as to warrant legislation.