§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what negotiations have taken place between the Forestry Commission and the trade associations for revising the prices for surplus nursery stock agreed upon in November, 1943; and how do the new compare with the old prices.
§ Sir G. CourthopeThe Forestry Commissioners at a recent meeting with the Horticultural Trades Association have agreed prices for plants surplus to the Commissioners' requirements. The prices generally are higher for 1944 than 1943, especially in the larger sizes, but an overall comparison is not possible because the categories of plants are not all the same. The following are examples of increases in prices of plants of the same category:
- Scots Pine 2 year seedlings—16 per cent.
- Scots Pine 2 year 1 year transplants—no change.
- Japanese Larch 2 year seedlings—41 per cent.
- Norway Spruce transplants—25 per cent.
- Sitka Spruce seedlings—16 per cent.
§ Mr. Storeyasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether the 395W Forestry Commission has entered into any agreement with the nursery trade for the sale of surplus seedling trees; and if so what price per 1,000 is being charged to the trade for two year larch seedlings and what is the cost per 1,000 of raising such seedlings.
§ Sir G. CourthopeThe Forestry Commissioners have entered into an agreement with the Horticultural Trades Association for the sale of surplus seedling trees. The price for two-year seedling Larch including both the European and Japanese species is 50s. per thousand. I am unable to state the cost of raising the plants, because it has been impossible, owing to drastic reductions of staff, to maintain the normal costing system.