HC Deb 08 June 1992 vol 209 cc47-8W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each financial year since April 1980(a) the amount of plantations and plantable land in hectares that has been sold by the Forestry Commission, (b) the proceeds from the sale and (c) the book value of the sale; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro

[holding answer 3 June 1992]: The information is available in the form requested only from 1986, as follows:

Year ended 31 March Areas (hectares) Receipts (£000) Book value (£000)
1986 8,314 9,592 7,845
1987 6,186 8,308 6,120
1988 6,387 6,839 6,406
1989 4,328 4,993 6,967
1990 5,559 6,972 7,992
1991 4,770 7,073 11,509

The receipts are the actual prices received from the sale of plantations and plantable land, and reflect the state of the market at the time of sale. The book value is calculated from the expected future value of the wood production at the time of felling, discounted at the commission's target rate of return of 3 per cent.