§ 20. Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Scotland why the Forestry Commission has not acquired any land under compulsory powers; and if he will make a statement on the difficulties the Commission has in obtaining land from landowners unwilling to sell it, including land at present put to no use.
§ Dr. Dickson MabonIn general, the Forestry Commission has had no special difficulty in acquiring enough suitable land in Scotland by agreement; and accordingly, the need to use compulsory powers has not so far arisen.
§ Mrs. EwingIs the Minister aware that the potential of the Forestry Commission in Scotland to expand is immense and that, while many landowners are selling their land, many others are driving a hard bargain by selling job lots of unsuitable land with suitable land which the Forestry Commission must accept on a take-it-or-leave-it basis? Is he aware that the present state of affairs will remain unsatisfactory as long as great tracts of land in Scotland remain in the hands of a few people who are not putting it to any use? Is he also aware that no other country in the world allows this situation to prevail?
§ Dr. MabonI cannot agree with the hon. Lady's final words and I am not certain that I fully understand the point she is making. If she will give me specific instances I will look into them. About 200,000 plantable acres are already at the disposal of the Forestry Commission. In the last year for which we have figures we purchased 50,000 plantable acres. We are, therefore, doing very well and the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister last October was welcome to Scotsmen everywhere in that we are going to raise the position in Scotland to an all-time record.
§ Mr. WillisHave the difficulties that exist in connection with obtaining land in the North-East been overcome?
§ Dr. MabonNot completely. I readily accept that our reserves in the North-East are low. That is the one area where that situation prevails. This is a difficult problem, but we are still pursuing the matter.