asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of trees in Great Britain afflicted by Dutch elm disease; which are the counties most seriously affected; and what he estimates the total cost to be in felling the dying trees and replacing them with new ones.

In the Forestry Commission's 1974 survey it was estimated that some 4½ million elm trees had died from Dutch elm disease, the following being the most seriously affected counties:

	Number of elms dead and dying outside woodlands
Somerset	Over 500,000
Gloucestershire	Over 300,000
Essex
Hampshire	Over 200,000
Surrey
Berkshire	Over 100,000
Buckinghamshire
Kent
Warwickshire
Wiltshire
Worcestershire

The cost of felling and of replanting at this level will vary according to the circumstances, but, making some allowance for the 1 million trees already felled, the limited proceeds from the sale of timber, and the replanting that has already taken place, the total cost of felling and replanting might be as much as £400 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will encourage the establishment of a fund, to be raised on a national basis, to help meet the cost of felling diseased elm trees and replacing them with other trees.

Felling diseased elms and replanting with other species is in my view best organised on a local basis. I am seeking the views of the Tree Council on whether there are any steps the Government could usefully take within existing financial constraints to encourage this process.