§ 44. Sir J. Gilmourasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has received as to the extent of damage to the forests and woodlands of Scotland by the gale on 14th-15th January; whether he is making any special arrangements for the marketing of blown timber; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossThe Forestry Commission has reported that the latest estimate of timber blown is 38 million hoppus ft. The Chairman of the Commission has told me that he met representatives of the home timber trade and private woodland owners on 29th January to explore the practical problems arising from the storm. As a result it has been decided to set up a joint action group of the three interests to examine such questions as the extraction, transport and marketing problems involved and to report further.
§ 48. Miss Harvie Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the damage caused in the landward areas of the counties of Renfrew and Stirling by the hurricane of 15th January.
§ Mr. RossThe County Councils of Renfrew and Stirling have given me provisional estimates of the cost of restoration of the storm damage to their own premises (including houses) and to private house property: these amount to £351,000 and £150,000 respectively. I cannot put a figure on the cost of other damage.
§ 49. Miss Harvie Andersonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what money will be made available from public funds to meet the damage to agricultural land and property caused by the hurricane on 15th January.
§ Mr. RossGrant under the Farm Improvement Scheme or the Horticulture Improvement Scheme will be available in appropriate cases.
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§ 55. Sir Knox Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the decisions taken at the meeting on 29th January which considered the damage suffered by the small farms in the Stirlingshire and surrounding areas during the recent storm; and whether he will expedite the steps which he is taking to assist the rural areas.
§ Mr. RossAs regards the meeting held on 29th January which was concerned with damage to forestry, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for East Fife.
As regards the damage to farm buildings my Department is already dealing as a matter of urgency with applications for grant under the Farm Improvement Scheme and the Horticulture Improvement Scheme.
§ Mr. MacArthurasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what marketing arrangements he will introduce to assist the forestry and woodland industry in Scotland following the recent hurricane.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate he now has of the damage to timber in the recent hurricane;
(2) what help he is able to give to the forestry industry in Scotland as a result of recent consultations with them to make good the damage from the recent hurricane.
§ Mr. RossI would refer to the reply which I gave today to the hon. Member for Fife, East (Sir J. Gilmour).
§ Mr. Youngerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much financial help he proposes to give to home owners who are uninsured and who have suffered damage in the recent hurricane of over £100 value.
§ Mr. RossAs I told the House on 25th January, I have asked local authorities to organise repair work not only to their own houses but also to others so far as they judge this necessary to get essential work done quickly. This does not of course relieve the house owner of ultimate financial responsibility.—[Vol. 757, c. 608–11.]
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that 301W the help he has proposed for the horticultural industry is adequate to restore the glasshouses destroyed in the recent gale; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossThe rate of grant under the Horticulture Improvement Scheme is 31⅓ per cent., and this should be a substantial help.
§ Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses in the city of Glasgow were rendered uninhabitable as a result of the recent storm; and how many of these were built by direct labour and how many by private enterprise.
§ Mr. RossAccording to my latest information the Corporation regard 721 houses as permanently uninhabitable and 208 as temporarily uninhabitable. Of these 63 were local authority houses of which 12 were built by direct labour.