HC Deb 20 July 1954 vol 530 c94W
67. Captain Duncan

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give particulars, including the financial set-up, of the sawmill of Swedish type that has been recently erected by the Forestry Commission in the Cowal district of Argyllshire and which it is expected will commence operations during the current year.

Mr. J. Stuart

The sawmill is a fixed mill of a standard Swedish type with a kiln-drying plant. One of the main objects of the project is to investigate on a commercial basis the sawmilling, conversion, seasoning and other processing of the increasing supply of small-sized softwood timber from thinnings. The venture is to some extent experimental so far as Great Britain is concerned. The mill is highly mechanised with a view to reducing costs of production. The plant is owned by a private company incorporated last year, the subscribers being two Scottish timber merchants. The Forestry Commission is not a shareholder, but has advanced money on debenture to the company and has two directors on the board, which has an independent chairman.