§ Sir Hector MonroTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures the Government are taking to encourage the planting of new forests close to towns and cities.
§ Mr. LangIt is an important part of our forestry policy to encourage the creation of new woodlands close to areas of population. We have therefore decided to introduce a community woodland supplement, of £950 per hectare, as a top-up grant under the woodland grant scheme, which will be available for planting near to towns and cities.
I am sure that this initiative will be welcomed. It will provide a substantial boost to community woodland projects throughout Britain. The Forestry Commission will be publishing details of the arrangements for administering this supplement later this year.
§ Sir Hector MonroTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government will make a statement on forestry policy.
§ Mr. LangIn our response last year to the Agriculture Committee's report on land use and forestry, we said that we would consider whether there would be benefit in drawing the various strands of forestry policy together into a single statement. We have now decided that there would be advantage in making such a statement available, and a composite summary of our current forestry policy has been published by the Forestry Commission. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.