§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they intend to take in order to ensure the continued safeguarding of amenity trees.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Blatch)Jointly with the Welsh Office, the Department of the Environment has today issued a consultation paper setting out proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the tree preservation order system and to clarify and streamline the relevant statutory provisions and procedures. The paper also gives details of the Government's proposal to give powers to local planning authorities to make hedgerow management orders to safeguard key hedgerows, with payment to farmers or others for upkeep. copies of the paper will be placed in the Library of the House.