HC Deb 30 March 1972 vol 834 cc114-5W
Mr. Money

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to make it a specific offence to cut, chop or otherwise deliberately destroy the roots of any tree subject to a preservation order.

Mr. Graham Page

The wilful destruction of a tree in contravention of a tree preservation order, whether by the cutting of roots or otherwise, is already an offence under Section 62(1)of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1962. I am obtaining details of the recent court case at Ipswich concerned with root cutting.