§ Mr. EtheringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to reform the tree preservation order system. [49976]
§ Angela EagleI have today issued a consultation paper, setting out the Government's proposals for reforming the tree preservation order legislation. Copies have been placed in the House library.
A review of the legislation was completed in July 1994. This revealed widespread support for tree preservation orders as an effective means of protecting selected trees and woodlands in the interests of amenity. But it also identified a number of reforms which would help streamline the system and address its main weaknesses.
The Government believe that the 1994 review struck a good balance between the need to ensure that local authorities are able to protect trees effectively and the need to provide an open, efficient and fair system in which the general public can have confidence. We therefore propose to reform the system in line with the 1994 review when a suitable opportunity to amend the primary legislation arises.
In the meantime, we also intend to update the tree preservation order regulations. Draft Regulations are included in the consultation paper. They would implement some of the reforms from the 1994 review and some new proposals which we believe would further improve the system. These include more streamlined procedures for keeping tree preservation orders up to date; new measures to speed up tree preservation order appeals to the Secretary of State; new provisions on the payment of compensation under the tree preservation order system, and clearer procedures for dealing with felling licence applications which involve protected trees.