§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has of delays in obtaining permission to proceed with plantings with the farm woodland scheme during the present tree-planting season.
§ Mr. RyderAs I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, Central (Mr. Lord) on 16 February at column357, most applications for the farm woodland scheme submitted by then should receive approval in time for planting to go ahead this season. That remains our intention. In England, 311 applications had been approved by the end of February. This represents some 66 per cent. of the applications received in England by the end of January. Applications received later than mid-February may not be approved in time for planting this season, although I have given clear instructions that everything must be done to quicken up the process.