HC Deb 17 May 1965 vol 712 cc187-9W
Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost of timber and processed timber im- ported during 1964; and what proportion of the United Kingdom's total import bill this represents.

Mr. Redhead

£265.9 million and 4.7 per cent.

Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of timber and processed timber imported in 1964 from the Commonwealth, European Free Trade Association, Soviet bloc countries and other countries, respectively.

Mr. Redhead

The information is as follows:

Area Value £ million c.i.f.
Commonwealth 75.2
E.F.T.A 84.6
Soviet Union and Eastern Europe* 68.6
Rest of World 37.5
* Soviet Union, Eastern Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czecho-Slovakia, Albania, Bulgaria and Roumania.

Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the total value of timber and processed timber consumed in the United Kingdom in 1964 was produced in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Redhead

I regret that the information requested is not available, but I am writing to the hon. Member to explain what statistics can be provided.

Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual rate of increase in the value of timber and processed timber consumed in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years; and whether he expects this trend to continue indefinitely.

Mr. Redhead

I regret that the information requested is not available, but I am writing to the hon. Member to explain what statistics can be provided.

Earl of Dalkeith

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the 100 years needed by trees to reach maturity, what estimate he is worknig to of the United Kingdom's requirements of timber and processed timber in the year 2065 in terms of present-day values, and assuming the same ratio of imported to home-produced timber as at present.

Mr. Redhead

No estimate has been made of the United Kingdom's requirements of timber and processed timber in the year 2065.