Lord CHELWOODasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of the number of hectares that would have been planted by landowners in private forestry schemes in the United Kingdom since 1st January 1972 had their confidence not been sapped by changes in Government policy; and of the number actually planted; and what they estimate as the eventual import substitution value of the shortfall in homegrown timber at today's prices.
§ Lord STRABOLGIPlanting in the private sector is a matter for decision by individual woodland owners in the light of their own commercial appreciation of all the factors involved, including general economic conditions. Encouragement has continued to be provided by way of Forestry Commission grants for those private woodland owners who wish to avail themselves of this opportunity. In the four years ended 31st March 1976 grants were paid for 80,152 hectares of private planting in Great Britain.
While increased production of home grown timber would reduce imports of wood and wood products, the investment has to be measured against alternatives. When measured against these alternatives the net effect of import substitution by British timber on the balance of payments is likely to be limited.