§ Mr. Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any cases have occurred in recent years of oak being imported with its bark still on.
§ Mr. StrangYes, because the import of oak with bark on is permitted in certain circumstances. Under the importation of Wood and Bark (Prohibition) (Great Britain) Order 1977 the importation of oak with bark on is prohibited from North America, the only area where oak wilt is found. Imports from other parts of the world of oak with bark are permitted, provided that each consignment is accompanied by an official certificate of the plant protection service of the country from which it is exported, showing that the wood comes from a named region or regions free from prescribed diseases.
§ Mr. Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the quantities of oak wood that have been imported into the United Kingdom for each year since 1970; what proportion has been imported in logs and sawn wood; and which were the principal countries that supplied this wood.
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§ Mr. StrangFigures for oak logs are not available for the period quoted. Figures for sawn oak are available for only certain dimensions of wood as categorised in the table below. The major suppliers of sawn wood in the period quoted were the United States and Japan.
Oakwood imports (cubic metres) Year Sawn wood over 5 mm thick 1970 27,902 1971 45,189 1972 36,690 1973 41,948 1974 32,756 1975 25,801 1976 13,867 Sawn wood over 125 cm long and 12.5 mm thick 1977 16,419 1978 16,783 (Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Tariff and Overseas Trade Classification of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).
§ Mr. Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the proportion of oak wood imports that are inspected at the port of entry by the Forestry Commission inspectorate.
§ Mr. StrangHer Majesty's Customs and Excise notifies the Forestry Commission of all imports of oak wood in the round which are controlled under the Importation of Wood and Bark (Prohibition) (Great Britain) Order 1977. Commission plant health inspectors examine every consignment notified in this way, either at the port of entry or, if containerised, at firms' premises or other designated places. Sawn, square edged oak imports are not subject to control and are not normally inspected unless Customs alert local plant health inspectors to the presence of bark.