§ Dr. Marekasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the varieties of cabbage trees which are present on St. Helena; what estimate he can make of individual numbers of each variety; and what steps he is taking to ensure the survival and general health of the various varieties.
§ Mr. RaisonThere are four species of cabbage tree: the black cabbage tree, white cabbage tree, he-cabbage tree and she-cabbage tree. No estimates have been made of the individual numbers of each species, but the first three are quite widely distributed on the central ridge of the island. Efforts to propagate the rarer she-cabbage tree and introduce it into its natural environment are proving successful. A number of legal and practical measures have been taken to protect the endemic flora of St Helena, including cabbage trees. Earlier this year, a development aid allocation was approved for a five-year forestry project, one element of which is concerned with the conservation of endemic flora.