§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the average annual loss of agricultural land due to the encroachment of bracken in Wales;
(2) what is the estimated area of land covered by bracken in Wales; and what is the annual rate of encroachment.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsEstimates put forward by research organisations suggest that 118,000 hectares in Wales are subject to bracken infestation and that the annual rate of encroachment is between 1 per cent. and 3 per cent.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales to what extent bracken processing for use as fuel is carried out in Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThere is no known commercial processing of bracken for use as a fuel taking place in Wales at the present time.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the extent of application of the chemical asulox, used in the treatment of bracken infestation, in Wales.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThere is no information available on the use of asulox on bracken in Wales.