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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the England Trees Action Plan 2021 to 2024, what progress he has made towards achieving his ambitions relating to tree planting; and what his latest assessment is of whether he will meet targets for tree planting and canopy cover.

On 16 June, the Forestry Commission published their Key Performance Indicators and Forest Research published the latest National Statistics on woodland. The statistics show that tree planting and woodland creation in England increased to 2,700 hectares within and outside of woodland in England in 2021/22. We are currently on track to meet our tree planting commitments; however, we do understand that there is more to do to stay on our ambitious trajectory.