HC Deb 10 December 1985 vol 88 cc563-4W
Mr. Home Robertson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the approval by the Forestry Commission for planting grant of an application in respect of 1,000 acres of Kinnell estate, Killin, which had previously been turned down by the regional advisory committee of the commission.

Mr. John MacKay

During 1983 and the early part of 1984 the Forestry Commission considered two applications for grant aid under the forestry grant scheme for planting part of the hill land of Acharn farm on the Kinnell estate. The first of these applications was turned down on the grounds that the proposed planting would leave an unviable hill sheep farm. However, a subsequent sale of the Kinnell estate resulted in the Acharn farm buildings and some lower land passing into a different ownership from that of the hill land. Because of this change of circumstance, the continuing viability of the farm was no longer a key issue when the new owner of the hill land submitted his planting proposals, and these were approved for grant aid.