§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why, despite repeated requests from the verderers, no action has yet been taken to implement the recommendations of the 1958 Report on the Forest of Dean.]
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, there were 39 recommendations in the Creed Report, of which 14 have been, or are being, implemented. The majority of the remainder relate to points which are no longer at serious issue or have been otherwise resolved. The major outstanding problem relates to the practice of sheep-grazing, to deal with which satisfactorily would require legislation. I cannot say when time for this will be found.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Can he advise the House whether all parties concerned within the Forest are agreeable to some form of sheep enclosure? If so, do the Government agree with either of the two specific recommendations which the Commission made in this connection in 1958?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am not sure that everyone is agreed about this. The Report itself suggested enclosure or the complete elimination of sheep-grazing. Certainly I think that the amenity societies would be against enclosure, and I can think of many 806 prominent Members of this House who would object to enclosing this land.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLMy Lords, can the noble Lord give us the figures for road accidents within the Forest over the last five years?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, this has been a problem, and the Report calls attention to the fact It is an additional reason why some action ought to be taken. But I gather that it is a declining problem and I am informed that within the last twelve months there were no accidents to persons as a result of sheep straying. Whether there have been any accidents to sheep I could not say.
§ THE EARL OF KINNOULLFinally, my Lords, can the noble Lord advise us what emergency steps the Ministry of Agriculture may take if an outbreak of foot-and-mouth should occur in the Forest of Dean?
§ LORD BESWICKNo, my Lords; I should require notice of that question. I cannot at the moment say what would be done.
§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEMy Lords, I have already raised this question twice in your Lordships' House. On the last occasion it was when there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and the farms, of course, were all isolated.
§ NOBLE LORDS: Question!
§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEMy Lords, I asked a question in your Lordships' House when there was a very serious possibility that foot-and-mouth disease could be spread by these sheep. I, of course, received the same reply. This matter of foot-and-mouth disease is serious.
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord would mind framing his statement in the form of a question. He must ask a question, and not make statements.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the noble Lord is asking about the problem here. I cannot say what emergency action would be taken, but clearly there is a problem which is recognised.
§ VISCOUNT BLEDISLOEI am much obliged.
§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that this problem exists in all hill areas over vast parts of the country and all over the Highlands of Scotland? The problem is not confined to the Forest of Dean.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I readily acknowledge the help given to me by the noble Viscount.
§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy Lords, does my noble friend think that it would be a good idea if the farmers spent a little more of their time preventing their herds and flocks from straying on the roads, instead of wasting everybody's time by organising processions through the towns?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I have no doubt that there is something in what my noble friend says, but the trouble here is that we are not dealing even with fanners. Some individuals are grazing sheep who have no right to graze sheep; but apparently they have been grazing sheep for the last few hundred years, since Saxon times, and the difficulty of dealing with them is somewhat more complicated than that of dealing with organised farmers.