My Lords, can my noble friend say what recent measures of government forestry policy have usefully derived from national advisory committees or, indeed, any of the other bodies to which he has just referred and which the Government may be in the habit of consulting from time to time?
How consistent has that advice been; for example, over the desirable economic target to plant more in order to import less?
The Forestry Act 1967 stressed the need for,
“adequate reserves of growing trees”.
To continue to achieve that aim, what planting and maintenance targets are now envisaged for the Forestry Commission and the private sector respectively?