Forestry: Planting Targets (Hansard, 19 October 1994)

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)
My Lords, the Government's planned expenditure in the current year will provide for 24,000 hectares of planting by the private sector through the Woodland Grant Scheme and 9,000 hectares by the Forestry Commission. Those figures include both new planting and restocking. Figures for 1995–96 to 1997–98 will be published next March in the Forestry Commission's chapter of the Scottish Office departmental report.

§ Lord Taylor of Gryfe
My Lords, does the Minister accept that his figures are somewhat distorted by 206 including restocking? Restocking of woodlands is inevitable. The Question which I asked referred to new planting which provides for timber for future use. Does the Minister accept that in the past five years £1 billion has been invested in the wood processing industry in this country—a considerable contribution to the manufacturing sector? But while that wood processing sector advances, we assume that supplies will become available.
Will the Minister accept that the planting figure for the Forestry Commission last year was just over 1,000 hectares? When I had some responsibility for those affairs, it was 23,000 hectares. Will the Minister further accept that the private sector fell last year to 16,000 hectares, of which 60 per cent. is non-commercial hardwoods? In the light of those figures, can the Minister give any guarantee to the wood processing industry that supplies will be available in the years ahead?

Earl Howe
My Lords, the noble Lord's Question on the Order Paper referred to levels of planting and I believe that I answered it. The Question was concerned not just with new planting. I fully accept the noble Lord's point about the tremendous level of inward investment that the wood processing industry has seen over the past 10 years. It has brought many welcome jobs to the country and we want to see that success story continue.
With regard to the levels of planting, it is the Government's belief that new planting should be concentrated in the private sector but that there should at the same time be a strong public sector as well. The Forestry Commission delivers high quality timber to the industry. Our self-sufficiency in timber as a nation will grow over the next few years and I have every confidence that the area which is planted with timber will continue to increase at a healthy rate.

§ Lord Renton
My Lords, what proportion of planting of broadleaved trees is envisaged within the targets that my noble friend mentioned?

Earl Howe
My Lords, the level of broadleaved planting last year, including restocking, was approximately 47 per cent. of the total area planted; 53 per cent. was planted with conifers.

§ Lady Saltoun of Abernethy
My Lords, can the noble Earl say what percentage of our annual timber requirements we now import from abroad and whether in the past year there has been any increase or decrease in that percentage?

Earl Howe
My Lords, we are approximately 15 per cent. self-sufficient in timber. Over the next 20 years, that figure is expected to double and to increase further thereafter.

§ Lord Gisborough
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that while the excessive encouragement of hardwoods may well look pretty in about 20, 30 or 40 years' time, it will be worth no more than firewood in what will then be smokeless zones? Does he agree that 207 it is, therefore, largely a waste of resources which should be concentrated on softwood in order to feed our industry and the employment that goes with it?

Earl Howe
My Lords, my noble friend emphasises the need to have a flourishing commercial sector, and I could not agree with him more. However, the Government also believe that it is highly desirable to encourage the other benefits afforded by forestry, including nature conservation, countryside recreation and landscape enhancement. All those are delivered by the Government's forestry policy and in particular by the system of grants, regulation and guidance that the Forestry Commission so ably provides.

§ Baroness Nicol
My Lords, will the Minister accept that I welcome the Government's recently stated commitment to maintaining access in new forests as well as in existing forests? However, does he understand that local authorities will find it difficult to meet some of the levels of payment which have become normal for that exercise? Will there be any attempt to establish guidelines about how the levels of payment should be regulated?

Earl Howe
My Lords, we are anxious that the public should continue to have access to woodlands which are sold. As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced in July, every effort will be made to secure access agreements which guarantee access to the public on foot to such woodlands. We shall encourage local authorities to respond positively when they are offered access agreements; we shall allow them more time to consider the agreements; and we shall meet their reasonable legal costs.

§ Lord Carmichael of Kelvingrove
My Lords, does the Minister agree that the Forestry Commission is the only body which can provide a strategic overview of the planting in Scotland of hardwood and softwood trees and also, very importantly, set an example in relation to access, as was mentioned by my noble friend Lady Nicol? Does he further agree that the Forestry Commission has a very good record in that respect? Do the Government accept the necessity for the Forestry Commission retaining its very important role in the strategic control of forestry in Britain?

Earl Howe
My Lords, the noble Lord makes some very good points. The Forestry Commission allows the public free access to all its woodlands, subject only to any legal constraints and considerations of safety. Following the Forestry Review, the commission will now seek to purchase the freeholds of leased woodlands in England where there is a strong demand for countryside recreation, and about £900,000 will be provided for that purpose.

§ Lord Taylor of Gryfe
My Lords, although I welcome the Minister's support for what the Forestry Commission does, how is it consistent with the fact that in a matter of 15 years planting has been run down from 23,000 hectares per annum to 1,000 hectares per annum 208 last year? Is that an indication of the Government's support for the Forestry Commission and the benefits that it provides in many ways to the nation?

Earl Howe
My Lords, since 1979 we have seen about⅓ million hectares of new planting in Great Britain. In fact, the afforested area of the country has doubled since the time when the Forestry Commission was established. We can be proud of that. In relation to land area, we have done more to build up our forestry area than almost any other country in the world. Our policy remains one of encouraging forestry expansion, and we expect that the extra resources that we have announced will lead to substantial increases in planting.