§ THE EARL OF MANSFIELD rose to ask His Majesty's Government whether they will expedite the publication of the recommendations of the Forestry Commission on re-afforestation and development. The noble Earl said: My Lords, a number of months ago it became known that the Forestry Commission were preparing proposals for re-afforestation after the war, and it was later known that the Chairman of the Commission, Sir Roy Robinson, was to have made an announcement at the annual meeting of the Royal Scottish Forestry Society in Edinburgh. It was expected that the proposals would be published before that meeting, but that was not done. The meeting duly took place, and the Chairman made his speech, outlining, with very little detail, the main proposals of the Commission; but from then until now several months have elapsed, and we have still not had the text of the proposals.
§ The proposals as outlined by Sir Roy could not be said to commend themselves very much to the private owner. The object of the Commission is one which cannot be too highly praised; it is at least to double within the next few years the acreage of timber in this country which existed at the beginning of the war. Before these proposals can be debated in your Lordships' house—and I am sure, in view of their importance, that your Lordships would wish to debate them—it is necessary to have them in black and white, so that they may be very carefully considered. Trees take a very long time to grow. From the time that the seed is sown not less than three years must elapse before the plant is put into its final home, and usually four years, and quite often five. In order to prepare many nurseries which have gone out of use time is required, and it is therefore rather pressing that the proposals should be known in detail, so that appropriate action may be taken. I do not to-day ask the noble and learned Viscount who is to reply for the slightest inkling of what the proposals are in detail; all I ask is when we may expect the publication of the Report, the delay in which is, I believe, in no way due to the fault of the Forestry Commission.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT SIMON)My Lords, I can only reply to 293 the noble Earl by saving that a Report has been received and is to be considered by the Government, but they are not yet in a position to make any statement about publication.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDMy Lords, arising out of that reply, I should like to thank the noble and learned Viscount, but also beg him to impress upon his colleagues the fact that the Report has certainly been in existence for some months, and that from the point of view of those who wish to do everything possible to help forestry in this country, it is very important that it should be laid before us in detail in the near future.
§ LORD DAVIESMy Lords, I should like to ask the noble and learned Viscount to what Department of State the Forestry Commission is responsible?
§ LORD DAVIESI should also like to ask from what Department the Commis- 294 sion derives the finances necessary for carrying on its work.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I hardly think that that arises from the question put. The situation is, as I have said, that a Report has been received. It is one of many Reports made in connexion with post-war policy, and, as I have already stated, the Government have not yet been able to consider it. There is an elaborate organization for considering such Reports. I am afraid, therefore, that I cannot give any more information.