HC Deb 18 July 1988 vol 137 c499W
Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) why, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 13 May,Official Report, columns 217–18, the Forestry Commission is permitted to plant land which fails to meet the Treasury target rate of return; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will instruct the Forestry Commission to desist from commercial planting on poor quality land, and land subject to windthrow risk where rates of return below 3 per cent. are expected.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

In his forestry policy statement of 10 December 1980 at columns 927–28, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) indicated that the Forestry Commission's new planting programme would, for social reasons, take place partly in the more remote and less fertile areas. It has always been accepted that such planting is likely to give a return below the target rate, and my right hon. and learned Friend sees no reason to introduce a change of policy.