Global Deforestation

Lillian Jones Excerpts

Wednesday 30th April 2025 Westminster Hall

[Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers, and to speak in this debate. I put on the record that I am the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the wood panel industry.

Our global forests are not just the world’s lungs but help to manage the worst effects of climate change. They lock in carbon, maintain biodiversity and help to manage flooding. The UK’s domestic forestry planting has been in decline since the ’70s, when it peaked at 30,000 hectares per year. Given the length of time required for a tree to grow to maturity, this is an issue that we need to consider now. The UK Government have committed to planting 30,000 hectares per annum by 2030, which is to be welcomed. Although 20,500 hectares of newly created woodland were reported across the UK in 2023-24, we also need to consider the different types of forestry planting and the importance of both productive commercial forestry and broadleaf.

Manufacturing from timber is an important form of carbon sequestration. Whereas recent statistics show a year-on-year increase in forestry planting, the amount of productive forestry has decreased by 4.5%. That limits the ability of the wood panel industry, among others, to meet customer demand. It can currently meet only 65% of customer demand from domestic sources. If the industry had a secure supply, it would be able to satisfy 100% of demand. To reduce our reliance on exports, the UK and devolved Governments must achieve their tree-planting targets and commit to 60% of new planting being made up of productive species such as conifers.

Wood panel products manufactured in the UK recycle waste wood into everyday products in our homes, such as kitchens, cabinets and furniture. The volume of waste wood used for energy sources such as woody biomass has increased substantially over the last decade, and that limits the waste wood available to the wood panel industry and other wood recycling industries.

The wood panel industry is a British manufacturing success story, with British products made from British timber supplying the UK’s biggest brands, such as B&Q, Jewson, Wickes and Howdens. The industry is also one of the UK’s most productive manufacturing sectors, at two and half times more productive than the UK industrial average, and it generates an estimated annual turnover of £1.4 billion. The wood panel industry generates £287 million for the Exchequer annually, through production taxes across the industry and its supply chain, taxes from employee spending, and income tax, as well as national insurance contributions.

More tree planting will help the industry to become self-sufficient, reduce imports and be better for the environment. However, the failure to meet tree-planting targets risks direct job losses in the forestry, nursery and silviculture sectors. Indirectly, it threatens employment in wood processing, environmental services and rural economies. Reduced timber supply and weakened climate commitments may also deter investment, undermining long-term job security and economic sustainability in related industries.