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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect and expand temperate rainforests in England.

In 2021, HM Government published the England Trees Action Plan, which sets out our long-term vision for supporting and protecting trees and woodlands of all kinds.

Through the £750 million Nature for Climate Fund, we are supporting the expansion and restoration of woodlands through the England Woodland Creation Offer and the Regional Woodland Restoration Funds. The Regional Woodland Restoration Funds support proposals that will restore woodland ecological condition and bring woodlands into management. Under the South West and North West and West Midlands Innovation Funds, we encourage applications that result in the restoration of temperate rainforests along England's Atlantic fringe.

I recently met with the Lost Rainforests of Britain Campaign to understand what more we can do to increase protections for our temperate rainforests, We are looking at what further action HM Government can take.