HL Deb 25 February 1971 vol 315 cc1159-60
LORD KILMANY

My 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 any progress is being made towards the eradication of bracken the growth of which is spreading at an alarming rate, to the detriment of agriculture, in many part of Scotland.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)

My Lords, research into chemical treatment is continuing. Meantime, landowners and farmers in Scotland are cutting some 4,000 acres of bracken annually with the help of a 60 per cent. grant.

LORD KILMANY

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Do I take it to indicate that the 60 per cent. grant will still be held? May I ask my noble friend to bear in mind that even with such a grant these methods of eradication can be very costly? What is really needed is a research project specifically directed at this problem.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, the 60 per cent. grant for hill bracken areas in particular will continue certainly until 1972. The chemical treatment has not yet been successful either because it is too violent, so that it also stops the grass from growing, or else it is unreliable or too expensive. But research is still going on.

VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARD

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that one of the causes of a great deal of bracken is the over-grazing of sheep? Is she also aware that one of the most effective means of eradicating bracken is the introduction of wild boar? But to be more practical, is my noble friend further aware that the folding of domestic pigs is very effective?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I thank my noble friend very much for the suggestion about wild boar. I should like to ask my right honourable friend whether he could give more consideration to this question. So far, the most practical way of controlling bracken—and indeed it is an expensive one—is to cut or crush the bracken for two years in succession during the growing season.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, can the noble Baroness say whether the 60 per cent. grant which operates in Scotland operates in other parts of the United Kingdom?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, the Question specifically relates to Scotland, and therefore I was referring only to the Farm Capital Grants (Scotland) Scheme.

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