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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) accelerate the UK's tree planting programme and (b) ensure that programme is on target to reach the Government's reforestation targets.

After centuries of deforestation, tree cover in the UK reached its low point in 1924, with only 5% of the UK forested after the First World War. We have now brought woodland cover back up to 13% across the UK.

The Government has committed to increasing tree planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares per year by the end of this parliament. In the England Trees Action Plan (ETAP), published in May and most recently the Net Zero Strategy, published in October, we set out commitments to improve tree planting rates, establishment and management of trees in England.

Further, within the Net Zero Strategy, we announced that we are boosting the existing £640 million Nature for Climate Fund with a further £124 million of new money, ensuring total spend of more than £750 million by 2025 on peat restoration, woodland creation and management in England – above and beyond what was promised in the manifesto.

Through the Nature for Climate Fund we have already provided funding to support planting in the Community Forests, including launching two new ones in Devon and Northumberland. Additionally, we have launched three woodland creation partnerships, developed the Woodlands for Water partnership, and launched the ground-breaking England Woodland Creation Offer.

We will continue to work with the Devolved Administrations to meet this UK-wide target in tree planting and establishment.