§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times Government grants have been awarded to private forestry firms over the past five years; and what was the total value for each year. [30441]
§ Mr. KynochSome 24,000 woodland grant scheme applications were approved in Great Britain in the five years to 31 March 1995, of which about one-quarter were from companies; private forestry companies are not recorded separately.
651WTotal payments under the woodland grant scheme, and other Forestry Commission grant schemes which are now closed, were as follows:
Year ended 31 March Payments (£ million) 1991 16.5 1992 17.2 1993 21.8 1994 29.8 1995 32.8
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the name of the principal recipients of Government grants for private forest schemes in Scotland over the past five years. [30443]
§ Mr. KynochThe Forestry Commission has no management reason to keep a record of cumulative payments made to each owner. To provide the information requested would require a manual search through a very large number of individual grant scheme files. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the criteria for Government grants being awarded to private forestry, and what restrictions there are on foreign-owned forestry in Scotland. [30445]
§ Mr. KynochApplications for grant aid have to satisfy the aims of the woodland grant scheme and meet the silvicultural and environmental standards set out in guidelines published by the Forestry Commission. There are no restrictions on nationality; applicants must be the legal occupiers of the land.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs he estimates have been created by privately owned forestry in Scotland over the past five years. [30442]
§ Mr. KynochThe Forestry Commission carried out a sample survey of forestry employment in 1988–89. The results were published in the Commission's Occasional Paper 27, a copy of which is in the Library. The Commission carried out another sample survey in 1993–94, and it is currently analysing the results of this. I shall send the hon. Member a copy of the survey report when it is published, and I shall also place a copy in the Library.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hectares of(a) new native pinewoods and (b) new broadleaved woods were grant aided in (i) Scotland and (ii) Argyll and Bute for 1994–95 [30444)
§ Mr. KynochThe information is as follows:
Area of new planting (hectares) Scotland Argyle and Bute Native pinewoods (including associated broadleaves) 2,400 60 Broadleaved woods (excluding broadleaves in native pinewoods) 3,900 160