HC Deb 03 July 2003 vol 408 c458W
Norman Baker

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what percentage of Africa he estimates was covered in forest in(a) 1975, (b) 1985, (c) 1995 and (d) 2002. [122665]

Hilary Benn

Pursuant to my reply to the hon. Member for Lewes on 30 June 2003,Official Report, column 23W, which stated that the loss of forest cover in Africa each year was 5.2 million hectares, I cited this as equivalent to the area of France. This was incorrect. This area of forest loss is about 1/10th of the size of France.