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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to increase (a) urban tree cover and (b) green infrastructure to help reduce temperatures in built-up areas.

The Defra-funded England Community Forests plant trees in and around urban areas, with over 1800 Ha planted in 2025/26. We also fund urban tree planting via our £1 million, Tree Council-delivered Trees Outside Woodland Fund for 2025/26 planted trees in both urban and rural areas planting 175,671 trees planted exceeding the target of 93,700. This will be expanded in 2026/27.

Defra supports urban tree cover and green infrastructure through the £15 million Nature Towns and Cities programme across 40 places. Mobilising £1 billion of investment we will also work with over 80 Local Authorities and provide tools to reduce urban temperatures.