§ 2.37 p.m.
§ LORD MACPHERSON OF DRUMOCHTERMy 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 whether they will consider giving financial aid through local councils to assist individuals to cut down and remove elm trees seriously affected by the Dutch elm disease.]
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, there are no specific statutory powers for giving assistance in such cases. Under Section 6 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1963, a local authority may incur expenditure up to a specified limit for a purpose which in their opinion is in the interests of their area or its inhabitants and which does not fall within a field in which they are otherwise empowered to spend money. Whether this power could properly be used for these purposes would be a matter for the local authority to decide.
§ LORD MACPHERSON OF DRUMOCHTERMy Lords, I thank the 119 Minister for his reply. Does he appreciate that the present outbreak of Dutch elm disease is considered by the research department of the Forestry Commission as the most serious that this country has ever experienced? Did the Minister read the article in the Field on this subject on October 29, when it was stated that possibly every elm tree in this country could be affected by this outbreak?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I appreciate the seriousness of the outbreak, but the fact is that many trees recover from the disease. Wholesale compulsory felling of diseased trees would wipe out many trees which could be saved. The Forestry Commission have recommended the felling of the most badly affected trees, those trees which are already dead or have half their crown killed, which should give a measure of control.
§ LORD MACPHERSON OF DRUMOCHTERMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord one further supplementary question? In their leaflet No. 78, the Forestry Commission's first recommendation is that seriously affected trees should be cut down. Does the noble Lord appreciate the tremendous potential danger to the public from these diseased elm trees? The article in the Field, to which I have already referred, drew attention to the case of a small girl who was killed by a limb falling from one of these diseased elm trees.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, there are always these sad cases resulting from falling timber. Local authorities are the first to point out the danger which exists when the trees are near the roadside. This disease is serious, but there is no need for extreme pessimism which would suggest that the elm is threatened with extinction. The elm has survived other severe attacks in the past.