HC Deb 26 October 1993 vol 230 cc561-2W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give, for each of those forest areas in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Humberside currently for sale to the private sector, details of(a) how rights of public access will be maintained, (b) how the environmental code for forestry enterprise will be enforced, (c) what charges she will allow for access, (d) how many people are currently employed on these forests, (e) what percentage it is of the Forestry Commission's land in each county (i) in 1980 and (ii) at present and (f) what were the criteria for selection for privatisation.

Mr. Jack

The areas of forest land currently being offered for sale by the Forestry Commission in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Humberside are shown in the table.

Area (hectares)
Lincolnshire 1—
Yorkshire
Cannon Park Estate 194
Gateforth East 27
Gateforth West 47
Hayton Wood 51
Hazelhead Wood 94
Hazelwood 56

Area (hectares)
Howsham Wood 81
Humberside
Greenwickdale 44
1 =None.

  1. a. Access to Forestry Commission woodlands can be either by means of public rights of way or by permission. Public rights of way will not be affected by a change of ownership. Arrangements for securing continued permissive public access to Forestry Commission woodlands after sale, through prior agreements entered into between the Commission and local authorities, were introduced in October 1991. Of the forest areas listed above, access agreements have been concluded under these arrangements for Gateforth East, Hayton Wood and Hazelwood, and an agreement is currently being negotiated for Hazelhead Wood.
  2. b. The Environmental Code was drawn up specifically in relation to the management of the Commission's woodlands by its Forest Enterprise arm. Private woodland owners participating in the Woodland Grant Scheme are required to follow environmental guidelines published by the Forestry Commission. Grants are withheld if the guidelines are not followed.
  3. c. No charges are allowed for public access under the agreements described at a. above.
  4. d. These are small woodlands which do not have any staff assigned to them on a regular basis.
  5. e. The areas of forest land currently for sale in Yorkshire amount to about 2 per cent. of the total woodland area managed by the Forestry Commission in the county, both in 1980 and in 1993. The one area for sale in Humberside represents about 8 per cent. of the total woodland area managed in 1980 and about 12 per cent. of the current area.
  6. f. The main considerations to be taken into account in selecting properties for disposal were set out in 1981 by the then Secretary of State for Scotland in a letter to the Chairman of the Commission. That letter is reproduced at Appendix V to the Commission's 1981–82 Annual Report, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list all the pieces of Forestry Commission land in Yorkshire which have been sold in the last 10 years; and if she will list for each sale(a) the name of the forest or piece of land, (b) its area in acres, (c) the sale price, (d) the name and address of the purchaser and (e) whether the current owner provides a public right of access to the land.

Mr. Jack

Details of the areas of forest land sold by the Forestry Commission in each county, from the start of the disposals programme in July 1981 to December 1992, are given in lists held in the Library of the House. For all sales since June 1985 the commission has sought permission from the purchasers to disclose their names and the prices paid; where such permission has been given these details are included in the lists.

Information about the sale of other categories of land, such as agricultural land, houses and gardens, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The Government retain no direct interest in land which has been sold by the commission, so no official records have been collected on the provision of public access by the new owners. Public rights of way will not, however, be affected by a change of ownership.

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