§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he expects the Forestry Commission's review of its regional advisory committees to be complete.
(2) if the Forestry Commission will be consultanting the voluntary bodies as part of its review of the commission's regional advisory committees.
§ Mr. John MacKayMy right hon. Friend expects to receive in the new year the Forestry Commission's proposals on the public accountability of regional advisory committees. Consultations will be held thereafter with a number of bodies, including voluntary bodies, before final decisions are taken.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what public meetings have been arranged by the Forestry Commission in each of its seven conservancies to consult on the implementation of the new broadleaf policy;
(2) which national organisation the Forestry Commission has notified in advance of public meetings arranged in each of its seven conservancies on the implementation of its new broadleaf policy.
§ Mr. John MacKayNo public meetings have been arranged in the sense of meetings which have been
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§ Mr. John MacKayThe average number of available staffed beds in each health board in the years concerned was as follows:
advertised and to which the general public have been invited. The commission has, however, held or arranged a number of meetings with those bodies and individuals likely to have an involvement in the implementation of the policy.
The national organisations participating in such meetings include:
- Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland
- Association of Trusts for Conservation in Wales
- British Association for Shooting and Conservation
- British Timber Merchants Association
- British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
- British Trust for Ornithology
- Council for the Protection of Rural England
- Council for the Protection of Rural Wales
- Country Landowners Association
- Countryside Trust
- Farmers Union of Wales
- Friends of the Earth
- Friends of the Earth (Scotland)
- Institute of Chartered Foresters
- Landscape Institute
- National Coal Board Open Cast Executive
- National Farmers Union
- National Trust
- National Trust for Scotland
- Royal Forestry Society
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
- Royal Society for Nature Conservation
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
49 - Scottish Conservation Projects
- Scottish Field Studies Association
- Scottish Landowners Federation
- Scottish Wildlife Trust
- Timber Growers United Kingdom
- Tree Council
- Woodland Trust
In addition, the Agriculture Departments, the Countryside Commissions, the Nature Conservancy Council and local authorities have been involved.
The numbers of meetings that have been organised in each of the Commission's Conservancies are:
Number North England 11 East England 18 West England 9 Wales 8 North Scotland 1 Mid Scotland 2 South Scotland 3
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name the senior officer designated by the Forestry Commission in each of its seven conservancies who will be responsible for co-ordinating the new broadleaf policy; and for each officer, if he will give his or her previous position within the commission.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe information is as follows:
Conservancy Name Previous position North England Mr. R. O. Smith Forest district manager, Lothian and Tweed East England Mr. N. Dannatt Assistant conservator (forest management) North West England West England Mr. M. H. Orrom Assistant conservator (forest management) South West England Wales Mr. A. H. Scott Assistant conservator (forest management) North Wales North Scotland Mr. A. M. Calder Assistant conservator (forest management) North Scotland Mid Scotland Mr. R. D. L. Toleman Assistant conservator (forest agement) management West Scotland South Scotland Mr. J. Y. Ogilvie Assistant conservator (forest management) South Scotland
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Forestry Commission will make site visits on a full or sub-sample basis to check whether the management objectives of the new broadleaf scheme are being achieved.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Forestry Commission will inspect each site which is the subject of an application for entry to the broadleaved woodland grant scheme to determine whether the objectives of the application are in accordance with the management guidelines for broad-leaved woodlands. When claims for grant are subsequently made under the scheme, the commission will make sample checks to ensure that the work has been carried out to a satisfactory standard and that this is in accordance with the objectives approved at the time of the approval of the application.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements the Forestry Commission has made for monitoring its new broadleaf policy.
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§ Mr. John MacKayQuantitative aspects of the policy will be monitored by collecting information on the planting and natural regeneration of broadleaves under the Forestry Commission's grant schemes and on the licensed felling of broadleaves. Qualitative aspects will be monitored by commission staff in the course of field visits. The commission is discussing with the Nature Conservancy Council ways in which the nature conservation aspects of the policy might best be monitored.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, as part of its broadleaf policy, the Forestry Commission plans to monitor (a) the number of grant applications, (b) the area (in hectares) covered by each successful grant application, (c) the composition of tree species being planted and regenerated and (d) the planting density of grant-aided works.
§ Mr. John MacKayYes. The Forestry Commission will be monitoring each of these aspects.