Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has plans to establish a cross-government taskforce to develop a strategy for reducing the United Kingdom's dependence on imported timber and strengthening domestic supply.

This Government recognises the growing global demand for timber. The Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 and the relaunched Timber in Construction Roadmap (2025) sets out our commitment to increase the supply and use of domestic timber. This includes working in partnership with the forestry sector on tree breeding programmes for selected timber producing species to diversify the range of tree species that could be used in construction. The Timber in Construction Roadmap identifies seven priority themes, including to increase the sustainable supply of timber. Work to deliver the Roadmap’s actions is being taken forward across industry and government. The Government also continues to engage with the Confederation of Forest Industries on the National Wood Strategy.