§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total area of applications for forestry grants and the area of that relating to new afforestation since 1 July 1988; and what is the total area of forestry grant applications for which environmental assessment has been requested since that date.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonFrom 21 June 1988, when the scheme opened to applications, to 28 February 1989, the Forestry Commission received applications for entry to the woodland grant scheme covering 49,297 hectares, of which 29,271 hectares were for new planting.
The environmental assessment provisions came into force on 15 July 1988. Since then, the Forestry Commission has requested environmental assessments on about 3,100 hectares of applications for new planting.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the area of land approved for grant aid for afforestation in each Forestry Commission conservency under(a) the forestry grant scheme, (b) the broadleaved woodland grant scheme and (c) the woodland grant scheme in the year beginning 1 April 1987 and the period 1 April to 31 December 1988; and if he will instruct the Forestry Commission henceforth to publish such figures in its annual reports.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe information is given in the following tables. I have asked the Forestry Commissioners to consider whether more detailed information on private planting might reasonably be provided in their annual reports.
748W
Period 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988 Area approved for new planting (hectares) Conservancy Forestry grant scheme Broadleaved woodland grant scheme North England 2,588 297 East England 174 512 West England 6 676 Wales 557 333 North Scotland 13,638 298 Mid Scotland 5,898 397 South Scotland 12,660 465 Total 35,521 2,978
Period 1 April 1988 to 31 December 1988 Area approved for new planting (hectares) Conservancy Forestry grant scheme Broadleaved woodland grant scheme Woodland grant scheme North England 15 15 550 East England 23 34 829 West England 74 103 577 Wales 18 24 505 North Scotland 2,406 51 2,828 Mid Scotland 437 84 1,489 South Scotland 2,412 77 1,561 Total 5,385 388 8,339