HC Deb 09 April 1963 vol 675 cc144-6W
104. Mr. F. M. Bennett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to improve the present difficult market for all sizes of oak, other than veneer tops.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply to his Question yesterday. In addition, marketing problems of this type can be very usefully put to the regional Liaison Committees for the timber trade and the growers which the Commission has set up to study market problems.

105. Mr. F. M. Bennett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the increasing claims on the Exchequer through Forestry Commission deficits and from grants to private woodland owners due to the depressed prices for British timber; and what plans he has in mind to improve the market and so reduce the burden on the Exchequer.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

The effect on the Forestry Commission's grant-in-aid for 1962–63 of the lower prices for homegrown softwoods was not appreciable; the shortfall in receipts was only 3 per cent. of the £3½ million total estimate, or less than 1 per cent. of the total grant-in-aid. Increases in the level of individual grants to private woodland owners have been entirely due to rises in costs. The total sum spent in grants

UNEMPLOYMENT AT 11TH MARCH, 1963
Employment Exchange and associated Youth employment Office Men Boys Women Girls Total Per cent.
Airdrie … … … 1,189 125 510 75 1,899 9.7
Bellshill … … … 643 66 233 26 968
Blantyre … … … 573 44 176 34 827
Cambuslang … … … 623 34 154 18 829
Carluke … … … 143 15 55 11 224
Coatbridge … … … 1,579 144 703 65 2,491
East Kilbride … … … 411 — 108 — 519
Hamilton … … … 1,495 129 527 70 2,221
Larkhall … … … 365 15 116 14 510
Motherwell … … … 1,124 142 459 56 1,781
Uddingston … … … 431 41 211 19 702
Wishaw … … … 1,129 104 441 39 1,713
Lanark … … … 350 26 144 19 539 5.6
Lesmahagow … … … 283 23 48 9 363 11.4
Shotts … … … 434 44 192 27 697 10.7
Lanarkshire … … … 10,772 952 4,077 482 16,283 9.5
The estimated number of employees in Lanarkshire in mid-1961 was 170,984.

to private woodland owners has naturally risen with the area brought under systematic management. As for the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer to his Question yesterday.

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