§ 13. Mr. Brewisasked the Minister of Land and Natural Resources what annual sum is made available to the Forestry Commission to assist in providing camp sites and other amenties for the public.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonNo fixed amount is set aside annually, but in the forest year which ended on 30th September, 1966, the Commission spent about £60,000 on camp sites and similar amenities for the public, and 367,500 overnight visitors made use of the facilities provided.
§ Mr. BrewisI thank the hon. Gentleman for his reply, but would it not be much better if a specific grant were made to the Forestry Commission for this purpose?
§ Mr. SkeffingtonThis is something for the House to determine in the future. Generally speaking, these accounts have been shown as for the Forestry Commission as a whole. The House should remember that the Forestry Commission's major purpose is to produce timber on a commercial scale and the matter now raised is, though important, very ancillary to the Commission's work.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWill my hon. Friend nevertheless make clear that he welcomes the work which the Forestry Commission has done in this respect and give it every possible encouragement to do more?
§ Mr. SkeffingtonMy right hon. Friend has so expressed his view to the Forestry Commission. My hon. Friend knows that, in addition to these camps, a number of forest parks and other facilities have been established and some millions of people now regularly visit the forests for recreation.