To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those species of tree which currently provide a significant proportion of tree cover in the United Kingdom, estimating for each species what proportion of tree cover is provided; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 2 June 1992]: The proportion of each tree species in United Kingdom woodlands are as follows:

Species	Tree cover percentage
Broadleaves
Oak	8
Birch	6
Ash	3
Beech	3
Sycamore	3
Other broadleaves	9
Conifers
Sitka spruce	33
Scots pine	10
Lodgepole pine	7
Larch	7
Norway spruce	4
Other conifers	7

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage area of Britain is covered by forest and woodland currently; and what is his forecast for the year 2000.

[holding answer 2 June 1992]: Some 10·3 per cent. of Britain is currently covered by forest and woodland. This is expected to increase to about 11 per cent. by the year 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total acreage in each county of evergreen forest and deciduous forest for each of the last 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 2 June 1992]: The latest year for which information is available on areas of woodland by county is 1980. This is given in Forestry Commission Bulletin 63, Census of Woodlands and Trees 1979–82, a copy of which is in the Library.This information is not available for any other period in the last 15 years, but the total areas of woodland by country, divided between conifers and broadleaves, has been published each year by the Forestry Commission in "Forestry Facts and Figures". These figures are given in the table.

Thousand hectares
	Conifers	Broadleaves	Other woodland1	Total
England
1977	401	324	180	905
1978	404	323	173	900
1979	405	323	172	900
1980	407	322	171	900
1981	408	322	170	900
1982	407	324	169	900
21983	395	458	91	944
1984	397	458	90	945
1985	395	460	90	945
1986	395	461	90	946
1987	396	464	90	950
1988	393	467	90	950
1989	395	468	90	953
31990	386	469	103	958
1991	385	471	102	958
Scotland
1977	728	39	92	859
1978	743	39	85	867
1979	760	39	84	883
1980	781	39	84	904
1981	798	39	84	921
1982	818	39	83	940
21983	831	76	71	978
1984	853	76	71	1,000
1985	871	76	70	1,017
1986	891	77	70	1,038
1987	918	78	71	1,067
1988	937	78	72	1,087
1989	956	79	72	1,107
31990	956	83	81	1,120
1991	962	87	82	1,131
Wales
1977	164	33	33	230
1978	165	33	32	230
1979	166	33	32	231
1980	167	33	32	232
1981	169	33	31	233
1982	170	33	32	235
21983	172	61	10	243
1984	173	61	10	244
1985	174	61	10	245
1986	175	61	10	246
1987	176	62	10	248
1988	175	62	11	248
1989	175	62	10	247
31990	173	63	12	248
1991	172	63	12	247
1 Other woodland consists of scrub, felled woodland and other areas managed chiefly for amenity and public recreation.
2 The figures for 1983 and subsequent years are based on the Census of Woodlands and Trees, 1979–82. This resulted in a significant reclassification of forest land.
1 In 1990, 25,000 hectares of Forestry Commission woodland were reclassified as other woodland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of (a) deciduous and (b) evergreen trees planted in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years; and if he will give his estimate of the number felled.

[holding answer 2 June 1992]: No record is kept of the number of trees planted, although an estimate can be made from the areas of conifers and broadleaves planted or grant-aided by the Forestry Commission over the last 10 years. These are as follows:

Year ended 31 March	Area planted (thousands hectares)		Estimated numbers planted (millions)
	conifers	broadleaves	conifers	broadleaves
1982	31	1	78	1
1983	29	2	73	2
1984	33	2	83	2
1985	28	2	70	2
1986	32	3	80	3
1987	33	4	83	5
1988	36	6	90	7
1989	37	6	91	7
1990	24	10	59	11
1991	22	11	56	12

Information is available on the volume of timber felled each year, but it is not possible to convert this into an estimate of the number of trees felled. However, when granting permission for tree felling the Forestry Commission normally requires that the trees are replaced.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to use market instruments to encourage preservation and planting of native wildwoods in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 2 June 1992]: In accordance with the Government's policy, the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme offers grants to private owners for the management and extension of native woodlands. Management grants were introduced from 1 April this year and include a special rate for ancient and semi-natural woodlands.