§ Mr. De Chairasked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, by how much the acreage of Great Britain under woodland has been increased as a result of the Forestry Commission's preserves and as a result of Forestry Commission grants to private owners, respectively; and what is the percentage of land in Great Britain now under woodland, as compared with Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, and Belgium?
§ Colonel RopnerI have been asked to reply. The area newly planted by the Forestry Commissioners is 350,000 acres and the area for which grants have been paid is 120,000 acres. Data are not available as to what proportion of the latter area represents a net increase of the woodland area. The percentage of the total area of Great Britain now classified as woodland is 6 per cent., as compared with Norway 23 per cent., Sweden 57 per cent., Germany 26 per cent., France 19 per cent., Belgium 18 per cent.