Forestry (Hansard, 27 October 1993)

§ 5. Mr. Lidington
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects to announce the conclusions of the Government's review of forestry policy; and if he will make a statement.

§ 7. Mr. Ian Bruce
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's review of forestry.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Sir Hector Monro)
The forestry review group is continuing its work, and has recently appointed consultants to assist it. The group expects to present its advice to Ministers early next year. Thereafter, Ministers will consider what action, if any, should be taken.

§ Mr. Lidington
As my right hon. Friend's review will cover the whole of the United Kingdom, will he take note of the substantial concern in my constituency that any changes in the administration or management of the Forestry Commission should not lead to a reduction of public access to areas such as Wendover woods in my constituency, which is very greatly valued by local people?

§ Sir Hector Monro
I certainly give my hon. Friend an assurance that the review group is considering the issue very carefully. The forest authority currently places tremendous emphasis on recreation, access to walks and 816 picnic sites and so forth. Such matters will be given careful consideration, and Ministers will consider what action to take when they receive the report next year.

§ Mr. Ian Bruce
Will my hon. Friend pay tribute to the work of the Forestry Commission in my Dorset constituency? It is centred in Wareham, and has increased timber production and provides Dorset with a wonderful leisure and educational resource. May I echo my hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington), and ask my hon. Friend to confirm that he will keep such matters very much in mind when reading the review? Whoever owns the forests, all local people want to retain the access that has been expanded under the present Government.

§ Sir Hector Monro
I welcome what my hon. Friend has said. Production from Forestry Commission forests is now very high, which helps our processors and others who have long-term contracts in this country. After the group has reported, we shall certainly give every encouragement to access, education and the other aspects that my hon. Friend has mentioned; they will not be overlooked.

§ Mr. Foulkes
Does the Minister admit that, in the forests that the Commissison has already sold off, there have been 69 access agreements, none of which has worked? That is exactly what will happen if the Minister persists with his misguided proposal to sell off the whole of the forestry owned by the Commission. Given that the proposal is opposed by those who work for the commission, by those who represent constituencies with forestry interests and by all the hikers and ramblers, will he abandon it completely? Not only was it not included in the Conservative party manifesto; it was specifically excluded.

§ Sir Hector Monro
As usual, the hon. Gentleman is going off the rails. I wonder how many of the 69 access woodlands he has been to see.
It is important for the hon. Gentleman to realise that we have no preferred option, and have given no indication of intending to privatise the Forestry Commission. We have merely set up a group to review the whole issue and report back next year.

§ Mr. Eric Clarke
May I draw the Minister's attention to the existence of a world-renowned research establishment on the Bush estate, in my constituency? Those involved in forestry research there are worried about their future. Will the Minister guarantee that establishments connected with forestry will continue to exist, and explain how that will be possible?

§ Sir Hector Monro
I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's concern for his constituents, and for the high-quality work that they do on the Bush estate. However, we must wait until next year, when the group will have reported and Ministers will have had time to consider the way forward. We shall then make an announcement to the House.
I have a high regard for the work done by the Forestry Commission, its authority and enterprise. We shall have to see how things go next year.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
My hon. Friend will be aware that my constituency contains vast forest areas. Some are owned by private landowners; a substantial number are owned by the Forestry Commission. He will also know that there are no access problems in the privately owned areas: I regularly walk my dog there, as well as in the Forestry Commission 817 areas. Does my hon. Friend accept that we shall expect the same to apply if any change is made in the Forestry Commission?

§ Sir Hector Monro
I note what my hon. Friend has said about "one man and his dog". There are many very good private landlords who welcome access to their woods, organise education programmes and in every way help the community. That contribution is equalled by the Forestry Commission, which has a broad and encouraging attitude to access for all forms of recreation. There is no reason for anyone to feel that that will not continue in the future.

§ Mr. McFall
Unlike the Secretary of State, I spent the summer visiting people in the forestry industry and spoke to environmentalists, recreationalists, local authorities and industrialists in the Caledonian Paper Mill Company, Irvine. All those people told me that wholesale privatisation will be a disaster for the industry. Given that the Secretary of State is in charge of the review, he has a chance here and now to give an unequivocal commitment that millions of people will have public access and enjoy the right to roam in forests. We wish to know whether the 15 per cent. of Scotland that is owned by the Forestry Commission will remain in public hands for the benefit of this and future generations.

§ Sir Hector Monro
The Secretary of State and myself live in the most afforested region in Britain so we are constantly in the forests, meeting foresters, and know what we are dealing with. We are well aware, too, of the importance of the production by the Forestry Commission to the major processors such as that which the hon. Gentleman mentioned. I must tell the hon. Gentleman, if he bothers to listen, that he and the rest of the Labour party got it wrong about water privatisation and probably will do so about the Forestry Commission as well.