§ Mr. Terry Walkerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many elm trees have been killed by Dutch elm 231W disease in each of the counties of Avon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire over the period of the disease.
§ Mr. BishopI have been asked to reply.
The table below gives an estimate of the number of standing dead or dying elms identified by Forestry Commission surveys for the years 1972 to 1976 inclusive
ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF STANDING DEAD OR DYING ELMS (Thousands) Survey Period Gloucestershire Somerset Wiltshire 1972 … … … … … … 258 88 33 1973 … … … … … … 397 342 123 1974 … … … … … … 399 532 142 1975 … … … … … … 360 865 250 1976 … … … … … … 350 913 459 1978 … … … … … … 325 1,122 683 Original estimated population … … … 798 1,677 748