§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations his Department has had with the Forestry Commission in respect of wind conditions in the north of Scotland; and what representations he has received from them in this matter.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Forestry Commission has three wind-monitoring stations in the north of Scotland—on Skye, at Leanachan near Fort William and at Rosarie in Moray—where wind speeds are recorded and the effect of wind on forests is studied. The commission has advised that the pattern of winds in this area has not been unusual in the first two months of 1990 and that there has been no significant damage to forests since the gale of February 1989.