§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount of pit timber was sold by the Forestry Commission to the South-Western Region of the National Coal Board, directly and through agents, respectively, for each year since nationalisation.
§ Mr. John HareAll sales of mining timber by the Forestry Commission to the South-Western Division of the National Coal Board have been through an agent. The amounts are:
— Amount (in tons) Year 1949 … 32,000 1950 … 56,400 1951 … 55,700 1952 … 65,100 1953 … 39,900 1954 … 45,000 1955 … 43,700 1956, 1st January—30th June … 21,000 1st July, 1956–30th June, 1957 … 37,700 Records of the amount sold in 1947 and 1948 are not available. Owing to changes in contract periods the information for 1956 and 1957 is not readily available by calendar years.
Some timber was also sold to merchants but it is not known how much was converted to pitwood and sold in turn to the Board.