asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Forestry Commission has, or is aware of, to conduct new research into the problem of ash dieback in the next three financial years.

The Forestry Commission has no plans to undertake research into ash dieback. It will, however, take account of the results of a survey of the incidence of this phenomenon next summer which will follow up that conducted in 1983 by Dr. Pawsey of the Department of Forestry, Oxford.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his answer of 18 February, Official Report, columns 357–60, he will give a more precise indication of the area and time of year involved in the aerial spraying of Fenitrothion on 142 hectares of land in Speymouth in 1984 by the Forestry Commission.

The 142 hectares sprayed with Fenitrothion in 1984 form part of the Elchies block of Craigellachie forest in the Speyside forest district and were treated on 30 May. The reference to "Speymouth" in my answer of 18 February should have read "Speyside".

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the initial findings following the aerial spraying of Fenitrothion on 142 hectares of land in Speymouth by the Forestry Commission in 1984 as part of a control experiment.

No effects were found on the bird populations studied which could be ascribed to the spraying.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations were held with conservation bodies prior to the aerial spraying of Fenitrothion over 142 hectares of land in Speymouth by the Forestry Commission in 1984 as part of a control experiment directed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The bodies consulted included the Nature Conservancy Council and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if research was conducted into the existence of wildlife habitats, other than those of woodland birds, in the area aerially sprayed with Fenitrothion by the Forestry Commission in 1984 as part of a control experiment directed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, prior to the experiment taking place.

This experiment concentrated solely on certain species of bird.