§ Mr. LAMBERTasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what has been the total expenditure of the Forestry Commission since its establishment to 31st March, 1924; and who are the principal officers controlling such expenditure?
§ Mr. ACLANDI have been asked to take over this question. The expenditure1852W of the Forestry Commission, since its establishment to 31st March last, has been approximately as follows:
£ Total payments … 1,248,000 Total receipts … 130,000 Net expenditure … 1,118,000 The expenditure of money annually made available by Parliament from the Forestry Fund of £3,500,000 which was established by the Forestry Act, 1919, is controlled by the Forestry Commissioners subject to such directions as are given by the Treasury in accordance with Section 3 (3) of that Act.
§ Mr. TURNERasked the right hon. Member for Tiverton, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the extent to which the recommendations contained in the Report of the Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction Committee in respect of afforestation in the years following the War have been accepted and acted upon?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe extent to which the recommendations referred to have been accepted and acted upon is stated in the Annual Reports of the Forestry Commissioners, published by the Stationery Office and laid before this House. The Commissioners have not accomplished as much as would have been done if the annual quota of the fund of £3,500,000 (voted by Parliament in 1919 for the first 10 years of the scheme) had not been reduced. The afforestation programme recommended could, however, be carried out if the unspent balance of the fund is made available in five annual instalments; representations have accordingly been made in the appropriate quarter.