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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to help grow the forestry sector in Bedfordshire.

Defra is funding a significant package of grants and activity across England to increase tree coverage and support the forestry sector. This includes funding a national network of fifteen Community Forests. These Forests are planting thousands of hectares of new trees and woodland in and around our towns and cities providing social, economic and environmental transformation. The Forest of Marston Vale is one of this network with tree planting sites in Bedfordshire. On 27 February 2025 the Government also relaunched the Timber in Construction Roadmap. The Roadmap will boost the forestry sector across England by encouraging the use of sustainable, low carbon building materials, fulfilling Government’s commitment to 1.5million homes, creating a circular economy and accelerating economic growth. These actions will go alongside recommitting to existing plans such as promoting timber as a construction material, boosting skills and capacity across the supply chain and increasing the supply of sustainable timber products.