HC Deb 04 April 1944 vol 398 cc1819-20W
Mr. Wedderburn

asked the Minister of Supply (I) the acreage of woodlands in the management of the Commissioners of Crown Woods and local authorities that have been felled or are to be idled under licences granted since the beginning of the war and the estimated cubic feet of timber therefrom;

(2) the acreage of private woodlands that have been felled, or are to be felled under felling licences granted since the beginning of the war, and the estimated cubic feet of timber to be obtained therefrom;

(3) the acreage of woodlands in the management of the Forestry Commission that have been felled or are in process of being felled since the beginning of the war and the estimated cubic feet of timber to be obtained therefrom;

(4) if he can give an estimate of the tonnage of shipping saved as a result of the timber obtained from private woodlands; from woodlands managed by the Forestry Commission; and from woodlands owned by local authorities and the Commissioners of Crown Lands.

Sir A. Duncan

It would not be in the public interest to publish actual quantities, but of the total quantity of standing timber felled or licensed for felling since the beginning of the war, about 7 per cent. is from Forestry Commission woodlands and the remainder from private woodlands and woodlands belonging to the Commissioners of Crown Lands and local authorities. The same percentages apply to the estimate of shipping space saved through the production of home grown timber from these sources. The acreage figure asked for and separate figures relating to local authorities and the Commissioners of Crown Lands are not available.