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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reach their tree planting target as set out in the Tree Planting Strategy; and if they have not reached that target, what assessment they have made of the reasons why they have not done so.

We committed in our manifesto to increase tree planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares per year by 2025.

As noted in a public paper this summer, we are exploring whether a statutory target for trees in England would be appropriate, under the target setting process proposed by the Environment Bill.

To increase planting in England, we recently consulted on proposals for a new ambitious England Tree Strategy, which will be published in spring 2021. This will set out priority policies and plans for the £640m Nature for Climate Fund.

The planting season begins soon, and we hope to build on the increasing annual planting rates seen in England over the last few years.