§ Baroness Gould of Potternewtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a conclusion has been reached on the review of' the National Forest Company. [HL3470]
§ Lord WhittyThe quinquennial review of the National Forest Company has been completed. It has concluded that the company, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, should continue to be responsible for delivering the National Forest Strategy which is contributing strongly to the Government's sustainable development agenda. Since its creation in 1995, the company has, for example, achieved an expansion of woodland cover in the national forest area, covering 200 square miles in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire, from 6 per cent to 12 per cent. Detailed changes to the company's operations will be made in order to maximise effective delivery and value for money. A full report of the review is available at www.defra.gov.uk.