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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made on the cost to the public purse of Ash dieback disease.

We do not collate costs relating to felling of diseased ash. Individual landowners, including local authorities, are responsible for the care and management of ash trees on their land. The cost of ash dieback will differ between local authorities, depending on the prevalence of ash trees and the concentration of those trees that are affected by the disease. Council budgets for the care and management of trees on their land are determined by individual local authorities.

Defra funds work on horizon scanning, border biosecurity, disease surveillance, contingency planning and research as part of an extensive programme of work on plant health. For example, since 2012 the Government has invested over £6 million in ash dieback research.