Forest MP pleased with outcome of Forestry debate
Forest MP, Mark Harper, was pleased with the outcome of Wednesday’s debate on Forestry policy in which the House of Commons voted in favour of the Government’s amendment to the motion welcoming protections for Forests in this country including the Forest of Dean.
Commenting, Mark, said:
“I am pleased that the House chose to back the Government’s amendment which makes absolutely clear, as I have always said, that everything people value about the Forest will be protected. Considering the previous government disposed of 25,000 acres of Forest without attaching any real protections to the sale conditions I am glad that this Government has committed to taking time both to ensure it gets the legislation right and properly consulting on its plans to make sure that everyone can continue to enjoy the benefits and access they currently have from the woodlands of England. Together with the guarantee given by the Environment Secretary to amend the Public Bodies Bill to prevent heritage Forests like the Forest of Dean going into private hands, this amendment in the name of the Prime Minister and the leading members of Government should give my constituents confidence that our local woodlands are safe.”
Notes to editors
The successful motion passed was as follows:
As an Amendment to Edward Miliband’s proposed Motion (Future of the public forest estate in England):
The Prime Minister
The Deputy Prime Minister
Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
Secretary Caroline Spelman
Mr James Paice
Mr Patrick McLoughlin
(a) Line 1, leave out from ‘House’ to end and add ‘deplores the actions of the previous administration in selling off 25,000 acres of public forestry estate with wholly inadequate protections; notes that the previous administration sought to go even further in finding ways to exploit the forestry estate for commercial gain as recently as 2009; welcomes the consultation proposals to guarantee the future protection of heritage forests by offering them charitable trust status; supports the consultation proposals for robust access and public benefit conditions that will be put in place through lease conditions, including access rights for cyclists and horse-riders; believes the leasehold conditions regarding biodiversity and wildlife conservation will safeguard significant important environmental benefits; sees these proposals as important in resolving the conflict of interest whereby the Forestry Commission is the regulator of the timber sector whilst being the largest operator in the England timber market; considers that debate on the future of the forest estate ought to be conducted on the basis of the facts of the Government’s proposals; and believes that under these proposals people will continue to enjoy the access and benefits they currently have from the woodlands of England.’.
