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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote the forestry industry.

The Government is committed to promoting the forestry industry in line with its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement.

In addition to supporting the industry-led Grown in Britain initiative, which has already gained commitment from 26 major UK Contractors Group companies, with a collective turnover of over £26 billion, to buy British timber preferentially where possible, we are providing support to the sector though the Rural Development Programme, which has provided over £167 million over the past seven years. The new Farming and Forestry Productivity Scheme will further improve the forestry industry’s productivity by supporting new business entrants, innovative practice and our forestry skills base.

The Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive has funded over 3,400 woodfuel boilers, helping to create a new sustainable market for British timber. In addition, our £15 million Rural Community Energy Fund is supporting 12 projects enabling communities to utilise local woodlands to meet their biomass energy requirements.