§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average acreage of new forest land planted in each of the last five years was. [45210]
§ Mr. MorleyThe information is given in the table.
Thousands of hectares Year ended 31 March New planting 1997 4.7 1998 4.4 1999 5.1 2000 5.9 2001 5.9
§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role her Department has played in discussions relating to the fourth Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe; and if she will make a statement. [46570]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Forestry Commission is actively involved in the discussions and preparatory meetings and will represent the interests of the UK at the conference. Some of the key issues are likely to be national forest274W programmes, biodiversity and forest conservation, fostering cooperation with central and eastern European countries and cultural and spiritual aspects of sustainable forest management.