§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his current assessment of the incidence and effect of oak dieback disease.
§ Mr. CurryOak dieback has been identified at about 40 sites in southern England, mainly in the east midlands. The growth of affected trees first started to decline in the mid 1980s, although the dieback did not become apparent until several years later. Similar problems on oak trees in several other countries in Europe have been recorded during the last decade.
There is no evidence that the dieback is caused by a contagious disease. Several different factors appear to be 96W involved, of which water stress during the severe droughts in the 1980s seems to be the most important. The Forestry Commission is monitoring the situation carefully and so far it seems that oak dieback is unlikely to affect a large number of trees. Although fresh reports of dieback are still being received, the indications are that it has stabilised at most sites. Few new trees have been affected over the last two years, while trees affected in previous years have generally not deteriorated any further.
Further information is given in the Forestry Commission's Research information note 214, copies of which are in the Library.