§ Sir David SteelTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations the review group has received on the subject of the privatisation of the Forestry Commission.
§ Mr. LangMany individuals and organisations have written to Ministers and Government Departments and to the secretary and members of the forestry review group giving their views on issues connected with the work of the group.
They did not do so in the knowledge or expectation that their names or their submissions would be published and I therefore do not think it would be right to publish this information.
783WMost of the representations received have been opposed to the idea of privatisation of the Forestry Commission estate, but the remit of the review group is to look at issues much wider than this.
Ministers have asked the group to review:
the effectiveness of the current incentives for forestry investment, in accordance with the manifesto commitment, and 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.
§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects to receive the report from the interdepartmental working party on the future of the Forestry Commission.
§ Sir Hector Monro[holding answer 26 October 1993]: Forestry Ministers expect to receive the advice of the forestry review group early next year.
§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many submissions have been made to date to the interdepartmental working group on the future of the Forestry Commission; and how many of these have favoured privatisation as an option.
§ Sir Hector MonroOver 300 organisations and 1,350 individuals have made submissions or offered comment direct to the forestry review group. Comment has also been addressed to Ministers and officials in the other departments represented on the group. The issues most commonly raised are access to woodlands, security of timber supplies and the environment. In so far as these issues might be affected by privatisation, virtually all commentators are opposed.
§ Mr. KynochTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made towards publishing the United Kingdom's national forestry plan.
§ Sir Hector MonroThe Forestry Commission is co-ordinating the publication and work is well advanced. The plan will draw together the various strands of the Government's present forestry policy and programmes. Since we would not wish the plan to pre-empt the findings of the forestry review group or to prejudice our decisions on its recommendations, it will not be practical to go beyond that.
We have concluded, therefore, that there would be little benefit in consulting publicly before publishing the plan. Instead, we will be inviting comments on the plan after it has been published.