§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to increase forestation, in view of the recent estimates of a world wood shortage within the foreseeable future.
§ Mr. StrangThe Forestry Commission has been set a planting and restocking programme of up to 22,250 hectares per annum, although it has had difficulties in meeting this because of the lack of suitable land on the market. Incentives to plant are given to private woodland owners in the form of grants and fiscal reliefs and these have recently been improved.
836WThe Forestry Commissioners circulated a consultative document last year reviewing the wood production outlook in Britain to the middle of the next century which suggested options for future levels of planting. The Commissioners will be reporting their conclusions stemming from this review and the comments received to my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture and the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in due course.