§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subsidy is now available from public funds to landowners and others to establish plantations of Norwegian spruce.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartUnder the interim arrangements which I announced on 4th April 1973, approved private 43W planting, including the planting of Norway spruce, attracts a grant of £2318 per acre. Such planting carried out in accordance with commitments under the grant schemes which were suspended on 28th June 1972 attracts the same rate of grant, and, in the case of planting under the old dedication scheme, may also be subject to a yearly management grant of between £0.44 and £1.06 per acre. I cannot yet announce the rates of grant payable under the new dedication scheme referred to in my statement of 24th October 1973, but they will apply as appropriate to the planting of Norway spruce if the necessary conditions are met.