Forestry Commission, Wales (Employment)

HC Deb 29 October 1956 vol 558 cc86-7W

27. Mr. Watkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the future policy of the Forestry Commission in Wales about the recruitment of labour in view of the redundancy now taking place.

Mr. Amory

Recruitment will continue to be related to the programme of work which, in turn, largely depends on the rate at which land can be acquired for planting.

Mr. C. Hughes

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many forestry employees have been declared redundant by the Forestry Commission in Wales; the reasons for the redundancy ; and what steps are being taken to secure alternative employment for them elsewhere in the Commission's employ.

Mr. Amory

In the last three months eighteen (out of a total at present of 3,300) workers in Wales have been declared redundant because, at the forests at which they were employed, there was insufficient land available for planting and no other work for them. They will all be offered employment by the Commission elsewhere in Wales, where houses will be made available for them.