§ Mr. J. Morrisonasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will publish a table showing the percentage of woods thinned by the Forestry Commission in relation to their total woods between the ages of 15 and 50 for each of the three years ended 30th September last, as compared with each of the three years ended 30th September, 1939; and if he will give an explanation of the differences in the pre-war and post-war percentages.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe following table takes account of all woods, from 15 to 50 years of age, belonging to the Forestry Commission, except the New Forest and the Forest of Dean:
Forest Year 1937 1938 1939 Percentage of woods of 15–50 years of age that were thinned. 5 6 5
Forest Year 1946 1947 1948 Percentage of woods of 15–50 years of age that were thinned. 5 6 11 The rise in 1948 as compared with prewar years reflects the increasing areas now reaching the thinning stage. The total figures on which these percentages are based include large areas of Forestry Commission plantations in the 15–19 year age class, much of which has not reached the thinning stage. If the areas of these plantations are deducted from the totals the percentages for 1937–39 become 12, 17, and 13 per cent., respectively, as compared with 14,. 14, and 23 per cent. for the three years 1946–48 inclusive.