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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to improve protection and preservation of ancient woodlands as part of future national planning policy.

Defra officials are working with the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government to produce the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) to support the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published last year. The NPPF strengthens protection of ancient woodland, meeting one of the Government’s manifesto commitments. The NPPG will be published shortly. The planning framework and guidance will reflect the importance of strengthened protection of ancient woodlands, ancient trees and veteran trees and is a significant milestone in strengthening the protection of this irreplaceable habitat.