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 hold discussions with the Forestry Commission on promoting woodland creation.

Woodland creation is regularly discussed between the Forestry Commission and the Forestry Minister on behalf of the Secretary of State.

The Forestry Commission continues to keep Defra ministers up to date on the progress of woodland creation. Defra and Forestry Commission officials meet regularly to coordinate efforts to promote the creation of woodlands, supporting schemes such as the Forestry Commission’s flagship England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO).

EWCO and Woodland Creation Planning Grant will transition to become part of the Countryside Stewardship scheme – one of the new environmental land management schemes. The future Countryside Stewardship woodland creation offer will largely mirror the EWCO offer.