§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the amount of afforestation which will be carried out by the Forestry Commission and by the private sector in 1975–76 and 1976–77.
§ Mr. Strang44,000 acres and 42,000 acres of new planting by the Forestry Commission in 1975–76 and 1976–77 respectively; in the same years restocking is estimated at about 8,000 acres annually. No reliable estimate of the future level of planting by the private sector can be given as the extent will depend upon the decisions of a great many individual woodland owners.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of plantations and the total area covered by private forestry activity in each quarter of the last five years.
§ Mr. StrangInformation in the form requested is not available.
496W
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount and nature of grants available for the support of private forestry, the date of the introduction of the existing grant and the amount, proportion and date of the last improvement of this support.
§ Mr. Strang£18.21 basic grant for each acre dedicated when approved planting or replanting has taken place under the Forestry Commission's new Basis III dedication scheme and a supplementary grant of £50.59 per acre for areas approved for planting with broadleaved trees. Basis III dedication, which replaced earlier schemes of grant aid, was introduced on 1st October 1974 and the first triennial review will be undertaken next year. Rights and obligations existing under previous schemes continue to be honoured.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area of Great Britain now covered by forest or forestry activity and what is the share of this occupied by the Forestry Commission.
§ Mr. StrangAbout 4,850,000 acres as at March 1975 of which 43 per cent. was managed by the Forestry Commission.