HC Deb 13 March 1995 vol 256 cc438-9W
Dr. Strang

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what area of Forestry Commission(a) land and (b) woodland has been sold off in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in each year since 1979; and what area he now proposes for future sales.

Sir Hector Monro

The information is given in the table.

Year ended 31 March All land (hectares) Forestry land (hectares)
England
1980 1 300
1981 414 189
1982 1,309 676
1983 2,523 2,126
1984 4,680 4,025
1985 6,976 6,561
1986 2,789 2,489
1987 2,786 2,377
1988 4,593 4,108
1989 1,629 1,386
1990 1,989 1,824
1991 1,556 1,452
1992 1,737 1,673
1993 1,006 883
1994 1,171 1,091
Scotland
1980 1 300
1981 1,465 368
1982 7,371 1,510
1983 8,135 4,061
1984 36,543 11,345
1985 18,359 7,671
1986 10,555 4,055
1987 6,220 2,674
1988 3,359 1,662
1989 4,286 1,716
1990 4,620 2,633
1991 4,754 2,384
1992 3,517 3,359
1993 8,437 4,930
1994 12,462 12,105
Wales
1980 1 0
1981 361 131
1982 1,743 161
1983 1,450 445
1984 3,347 1,137
1985 3,522 1,840
1986 3,229 1,770
1987 1,950 1,135
1988 977 617
1989 1,760 1,226
1990 1,242 1,102
1991 1,118 934
1992 1,657 1,231
1993 1,146 1,014
1994 1,317 1,223
1 Before 1980 central records were kept only of forestry land.

As announced in the Government's expenditure plans 1995–96 to 1997–98, the commission plans to sell 15,000 hectares of forest land in Britain in each of the next three years.

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