§ Mr. Staintonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what, if any, species of elm are positively resistant to elm disease; and what research is being pursued along these lines.
§ Mr. StrangNo elm is immune to the aggressive strain of Dutch elm disease, although of those grown in the British Isles some, such as wych elm or smooth-leaved elms, show in their natural environment greater resistance than the English elm. The Forestry Commission is associated with and supports current work on the selection and breeding of resistant elms in the Netherlands. Similar442W work is being done in North America. The Dutch programme includes an investigation into the high level of resistance to the disease shown by some Asian elms with a view to breeding this quality into European species.