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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 16 June (HL298), whether they intend to bring forward primary legislation concerning the forestry estate in the course of this Parliament; and if so, what is their expected timetable for doing so.

We are fully committed to holding the public forest estate in trust for the nation. Preparatory work has taken place, with key interested parties being involved. We have not committed to bring forward primary legislation, although we have not ruled this out either. In the meantime, the estate will remain secure in the care of the Forestry Commission. I wish to reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to sell the public forest estate.