§ 98. Mr. Thornton-Kemsleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the difficulty experienced by landowners who wish to respond to appeals to increase their acreage of timber and who are finding it impossible to complete their planting programmes owing to their inability to obtain materials to erect rabbit-proof fences; and what steps he is taking to remedy the shortage of fencing materials and particularly of plain galvanised fencing wire No. 8 gauge.
§ Mr. WoodburnI am not aware that landowners wishing to increase their acreage of timber have met with difficulty in obtaining permits for materials for rabbit-proof fences. There is however, a shortage of all forms of wire and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply is investigating how far it is practicable to increase production generally.