§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what submissions he has received from public bodies and professional organisations regarding the proposed amalgamation of the Forestry Commission's Welsh conservancy office; and if he will make them available.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsNone, but I have received representation from the trade union side of the Forestry Commission's south Wales Whitley Council.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a comparison of the time spent in each of the 11 Forestry Commission regions which presently exist by the team reviewing Forestry Commission headquarters and conservancy and which reported in January this year.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe terms of reference of the review group required it, inter alia, to review the recommendations of an earlier study which had favoured a reduction in the number of conservancies from 11 to seven. In pursuit of this remit, members of the review group visited the four conservancy offices previously recommended for closure—Cardiff, Chester, Lyndhurst and Aberdeen—and a number of other offices. One day was spent in each of the offices visited. In addition, the review group considered in committee detailed written information provided by each of the 11 conservancies.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales on what criteria the chairman of the Forestry Commission based his estimate that £250,000 a year would be saved through amalgamation of the Welsh conservancy offices; whether overhead savings will be achieved by the provision of new office accommodation in Aberystwyth; and whether an inspection of the work undertaken by and the staffing levels of the conservancy offices involved has been made by his Department.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe estimate was based upon an assumed saving of between 20 and 25 staff at an average cost of £12,000 per employee each year. This figure includes salaries and overheads other than accommodation. Options for purchasing or leasing additional office 969W space in Aberystwyth are still under consideration. There will, however, be an offsetting saving of some £60,000 a year arising from the surrender of the lease of the Cardiff office.
The Forestry Commission's staff inspector is completing a review of the future grading and staff requirements for all the new conservancies, and the outcome will provide the basis of formal negotiations to be opened shortly with the trade unions locally.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales on what grounds he based his decision to allow the Forestry Commission to amalgamate its two existing conservancy offices to create a single Welsh conservancy office in Aberystwyth.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsQuestions of organisation and management of the Forestry Commission are primarily the responsibility of the forestry commissioners. They did, however, keep me informed throughout the lengthy period of consideration and consultation that led to their decision to amalgamate the Welsh conservancies in order to improve the efficiency with which they carry out their functions.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what factors were instrumental in determining that Aberystwyth should be the preferred site for the proposed amalgamation of the Forestry Commission conservancy offices; and if he is satisfied that this site will be adequate for the likely increase in staff, equipment and work load.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsIn reaching their conclusion that Aberystwyth should be the preferred location, the forestry commissioners took into account the number of factors including management efficiency, communications and proximity to those departments and agencies with which the commission has its main contacts in Wales. The forestry commissioners are satisfied that adequate provision can be made at Aberystwyth for the needs of the amalgamated conservancy office.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if the idea of a reduced role for the Forestry Commission's south Wales headquarters in Cardiff, as opposed to the complete closure of the conservancy office, was discussed at any time by his Department, Forestry Commission commissioners or the review team.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsA reduced role for the Forestry Commission's Cardiff office was not considered because no such need was perceived.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales why the report by the Forestry Commission review team, "Forestry Commission Headquarters and Conservancy Review 1984", completed in January, has been kept confidential; and whether he will now make the report available in the Library.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe report has been generally available outside the Forestry Commission since 27 July 1984 when the forestry commissioners announced their conclusions on its recommendations. I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department, the Forestry Commission or its review team has ever discussed the idea of English forests being managed from Wales.
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§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe possibility of managing English forests from Wales, and vice versa, was considered by the review group and by the forestry commissioners, but was not considered to be practical.