§ 4. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what plans he has for the expansion of forestry in the South-West, particularly in the Hartland and Beaworthy area.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonTogether with the Ministers responsible for forestry in Scotland and Wales, my right hon. Friend is reviewing the forestry programme for Great Britain as a whole. Referring to the specific districts mentioned by the hon. Member the Forestry Commission is examining various possibilities of establishing wood-using industries in the Bristol Channel area, which might help the marketing problems of the South-West, including those areas which the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. MillsWill the Minister bear in mind the very real need for an extension of forestry in the South-West, particularly in these areas, which have some of the poorer land? Will he also bear in mind that what really would help the forestry industry would be a chipboard factory in that area?
§ Mr. SkeffingtonThe Forestry Commission and my right hon. Friend entirely accept the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's Question. I must point out to him, however, that one real difficulty is to get owners of land, even of marginal land, in the areas which he specifies, to switch to forestry. There has been a reluctance to do so, and this is one of our difficulties.