Earl of Dalkeithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the existence of nearly 500,000 acres of scrubland in Scotland and of the slow rate of replanting with productive trees and woodland expansion; and what action he will take to mitigate the effects of a partial application of the Selective Employment Tax that will further penalise private forestry in relation to other land uses and to State forestry.
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§ Mr. RossThe noble Lord may recall that I mentioned the acreage to which he refers in my reply to his Question of 2nd March. My hon. Friend the Minister of State is meeting a deputation from the Scottish Woodland Owners Association today to discuss the effect of the Selective Employment Tax on private forestry, but at the moment I have nothing to add to what has already been said on the subject.
§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the additional rating burden which will be imposed on ratepayers in Scotland as a result of higher costs of local authority house building stemming from the application of the Selective Employment Tax to the construction industry.
§ Mr. RossNone. The part of housing costs borne on the rates depends upon decisions by local authorities about rent levels.