Sale of Public Forest Estate — 2 Feb 2011 at 18:50

The majority of MPs voted in favour of the sale of England's public forest estate. The text of the motion^[1] rejected in this vote was:

• This House
• believes that the Government's intention in the Public Bodies Bill to sell off up to 100% of England's public forestry estate is fundamentally unsound;
• notes that over 225,000 people have signed a petition against such a sell-off;
• recognises the valuable role that the Forestry Commission and England's forests have made to increasing woodland biodiversity and public access, with 40 million visits a year;
• further recognises that the total subsidy to the Forestry Commission has reduced from 35% of income in 2003-04 to 14% of income in 2010-11;
• further notes that the value of the ecosystems services provided by England's public forest estate is estimated to be £680 million a year;
• notes that the value of such services could increase substantially in the future through the transition to a low carbon economy as a carbon market emerges;
• notes that the public forest estate has been retained in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and
• calls on the Government to rethink its decision on the sale of England's public forest estate in order to protect it for future generations.

This was immediately followed another vote commending the Government for its policy.

• [1] Mary Creagh, House of Commons, 2 February 2011

Debate in Parliament | Source |