HC Deb 10 June 2002 vol 386 cc928-9W
Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the depreciation policies used in respect of Forest Enterprise capital equipment and vehicles. [58152]

Mr. Morley

The depreciation policy for Forest Enterprise's fixed assets is published each year in the Notes to the Forest Enterprise Accounts within the Forestry Commission's annual reports for Great Britain and England, Scotland, and Wales. Copies of the reports are held in the Library of the House.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether vehicles owned by Forest Enterprise, exempt from vehicle excise duty under section 183 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, are used to service or deliver capital equipment sold to third parties. [58150]

Mr. Morley

Forest Enterprise does not use vehicles which are exempt from vehicle excise duty to deliver capital equipment after it has been sold. These vehicles may, however, be used on service jobs, including instances where Forest Enterprise has agreed to service capital equipment it has sold.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total value of capital equipment owned by Forest Enterprise disposed of by(a) public auction, (b) open tender and (c) other means was in each of the last five years. [58151]

Mr. Morley

The table shows the value of capital equipment disposed of by Forest Enterprise in Great Britain in the last five years, all of which was sold following public auction or open tender. (In a very few instances the expected price was not reached at the auction or tender. In these cases, Forest Enterprise negotiated with bidders to obtain an increased offer.)

£
Financial year Capital equipment sold
1997–98 1,027,000
1998–99 1,296,000
1999–2000 1,447,000
2000–01 1,155,000
2001–02 1,003,000

In year 2001–02, the amount raised by open tender was £602,000 (60 per cent.) while the amount raised from public auction was £401,000 (40 per cent.). The amounts raised from each type of sale in the previous four years are not readily available but it is estimated that the percentage ratio would be similar to year 2001–02.