HC Deb 01 December 1993 vol 233 cc627-8W
Mr. Anthony Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Government have to privatise the landholdings of the Forestry Commission.

Sir Hector Monro

Forestry Ministers have asked the forestry review group to review options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands, and to make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies.

Once they have received and considered the advice of the review group, they will decide what further action, if any, should be taken.

Mr. McMaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by generic and specific name the trees and shrubs, indigenous or otherwise, which are most commonly grown by the Forestry Commission; if he will show the density of each species as a percentage of land use; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro

The species most commonly grown by the Forestry Commission are listed in the table, together with the percentage of the total area of the commission's productive woodland which each occupies.

Species Percentage of Total Area
Conifers
Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) 48.0
Picea contorta (Lodgepole pine) 11.6
Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) 9.5
Larix kaempferi (Japanese larch) 5.3
Picea abies (Norway spruce) 5.0
Pinus nigra var maritima (Corsican pine) 4.2
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) 2.7
Larix eurolepis (Hybrid larch) 1.5
Larix decidua (European larch) 0.7
Tsuga heterophylla (Western hemlock) 0.7
All other conifers 1.4
Total Conifers 90.6
Broadleaves
Quercus spp (Oak) 3.1
Fagus sylvatica (Beech) 2.6
Betula spp (Birch) 2.0
Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) 0.5
Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore) 0.3
Castanea sativa (Sweet Chestnut) 0.3
All other broadleaves 0.6
Total Broadleaves 9.4

Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the number of trees on Forestry Commission land in(a) Nottinghamshire, (b) England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales.

Sir Hector Monro

A broad estimate is given in the table.

Number of Trees (Millions)
Nottinghamshire 7
England 300
Scotland 800
Wales 200

Back to
Forward to