§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the balance of deciduous and coniferous trees in the United King- 502W dom's wooded areas; and if he will make a statement on the maintenance of a balanced habitat for wildlife.
§ Mr. MonroAbout one-quarter of all woodland in the United Kingdom is deciduous. This proportion is however slowly falling since conifers predominate in new planting.
Maintenance of a balanced habitat for wildlife is a primary objective of nature conservation policy, but has to be balanced against other essential demands on land. The Nature Conservancy Council is currently giving particular attention to the interaction between wildlife and forestry and any advice which it may offer will be carefully considered.