§ Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreages of land have been sold off by (a) the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and (b) the Highlands and Islands Development Board in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. YoungerThe figures for each of the past five years for which information is complete are:
Hectares Acres 1. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland 1979 4,044 (9,993) 1980 8,900 (21,992) 1981 5,675 (14,023) 1982 14,564 (35,988) 1983 8,104 (20,025) 2. Highlands and Islands Development Board 1979–80 nil 1980–81 nil 1981–82 0.4 (1.0) 1982–83 4.5 (11.4) 1983–84 nil Highlands and Islands Development Board figures are held by financial year.
280WFrom 22 June 1984 until 21 October 1984—the latest date for which information is available—further sales of forest land have taken place in Scotland as shown in the following table.
I am not in a position to give details of the prices paid; the recommendation made on this matter by the Public Accounts Committee in its eighteenth report is still being considered.