§ Captain Duncanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement showing the progress made in clearing up the damage to woodlands caused by the storm last year in North-East Scotland.
§ Mr. J. StuartExtraction of the windblown timber has continued at the rate of just over 2 million cubic feet per month. A survey completed in September showed the estimated total volume88W blown to have been about 51 million cubic feet, i.e., 3 million cubic feet more than the previous estimate. Nearly 38 million cubic feet, or 75 per cent. of the total, had been extracted by the end of September. The amount for which arrangements had not been made for working was estimated at less than 175,000 cubic feet.
In view of the volume (13 million cubic feet) remaining to be moved, the Government have decided, after discussions with representatives of the interests concerned, to extend the two schemes of transport assistance from the windblown area by three months beyond the dates originally fixed. That is to say, the scheme for paying a proportion of the cost of transporting round sawlogs from windblown trees from the affected area to mills outside that area will now continue until 31st March, 1955, and the assistance arrangements between the Forestry Commission and the National Coal Board on the movement to England and Wales of certain mining timber produced from windblown trees in Scotland will continue up to 30th June, 1955.