§ Mr. AshbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the level of tree coverage in Leicestershire; and what plans he has to improve this aspect of the environment in Leicestershire.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe census of woodlands and trees carried out by the Forestry Commission in 1980 revealed that there were nearly 8,000 hectares of woodland in Leicestershire—some 3 per cent. of the total area of the county—and, in addition, more than 1 million other trees. Currently sites in Leicestershire are among a number that the Countryside Commission is considering as a possible location for its proposed new national forest in the Midlands: a consultation paper issued by the Commission in November gave further details and carried a foreword by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The Government are also promoting planting of trees through their existing schemes of aid, and the Forestry Commission is co-operating with the county council in planning further planting on reclaimed mineral workings.