asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Forestry Commission will publish the results of its surveys into possible acid rain damage to trees; and what plans it has for further research.

The Forestry Commission will publish the results of its survey on 12 March 1985. The survey will be repeated towards the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies the Forestry Commission has made, is planning or is aware of, of mobilisation of aluminium by acid deposition, and its uptake into timber and deposition there; and if he will make a statement.

Both the Forestry Commission and the Department of the Environment commission research on aluminium mobilisation with the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Aberdeen. This work is linked closely with studies at the Norwegian Forest Research Institute and at Toronto university. The Forestry Commission is analysing the aluminium content of certain stands of Sitka spruce growing in the South Wales coalfield. It is also undertaking joint investigations with the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology into soil-water and aluminium mobilisation at Beddgelert, Gwynedd and at Hafren, Powys.