§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many acres of broadleaved woodland there are in Scotland; and what proportion of the total land surface area this represents;
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£million at outturn prices 1975–76 (10½ months) 1976–77 1977–78 Current (excluding loan charges) 33.6 40.6 43.4 Capital 5.0 5.1 2.8 (2) what proportion of the broadleaved trees in Scotland are elms
(3) what proportion of Scotland's land surface is covered by trees; and what area this represents.
§ Mr. Hugh D. BrownIt is estimated that an area of 2,142,000 acres, representing 11.2 per cent. of the total land surface, is woodland; 277,000 acres—1.5 per cent. of the total land area—contain broadleaved trees. While the total number of trees is not known, it has been estimated that there are some 2 million to 3 million elms in Scotland, including elms in woodlands, elms elsewhere in the countryside and elms in towns.
§ Mr. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the acreage of broadleaved woodland in Scotland was planted in each 50-year period since 1700.
§ Mr. Hugh D. Brown:Planting figures for each 50-year period are not available, but the current productive area of approximately 94,000 acres is estimated to occur in the following age groups:
- 50 years of age and younger, 16 per cent.
- 51–100 years of age, 32 per cent.
- Over 100 years of age, 52 per cent.
No breakdown is available for the 183,000 acres of unproductive woods, but a substantial proportion of them is at least 50 years of age.