HL Deb 31 March 1982 vol 428 c1462WA
Lord Mackie of Benshie

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much has the Forestry Commission spent at 1981 prices in the periods 1919–39, 1940–60 and 1961–81 on: (a) acquisition of plantable land, (b) establishing and maintaining plantations and (c) any other items appropriate to plantation formation; what are the areas of plantation that have been created as a result of this expenditure in the periods given; and what total revenues have the plantations earned (net of expenditure) in the three periods and what has been other income (eg from sales of land or sporting rentals).

The Earl of Mansfield

There have been six changes in the presentation of the commission's annual reports and accounts since 1919 which make it impossible to provide information in the form of detail requested except at disproportionate cost. However, the grant-in-aid for the Forestry Enterprise for each of the periods, expressed at October 1981 prices, and the area of the plantations created during those periods were as follows:

Grant-in-Aid £ New Plantations created (hectares)
1919–1939 150,757,000 111,859
1940–1960 748,584,000 230,168
1961–1981 957,554,000 353,677

The gross revenue at October 1981 prices from the sale of timber in the same periods was:

£
1919–1939 19,505,000
1940–1960 239,131,000
1961–1981 589,138,000