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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to reduce the amount of wet wood (a) sold and (b) burnt in England for domestic heating; and if he will make a statement.

The Government response to the consultation on cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood was published on 21 February 2020. This outlines plans to restrict the sale, distribution and marketing of wet wood. The proposed policy will require suppliers of wood sold in volumes below 2m³ to have their product tested and certified to show that its moisture content is below 20%, those supplying wood in volumes greater than 2m³ will be required to provide their customers with instructions for seasoning wet wood, which will be accompanied by a warning advising that the wood is not suitable to be burnt without appropriate drying. Further to this, retailers of wood in volumes below 2m³ will be required to store it in a way that ensures its moisture content is kept below 20%.