Thursday Volume 530 30 June 2011 No. 180 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 30 June 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 1083 30 JUNE 2011 1084 Mrs Spelman: My hon. Friend is right, and I remember House of Commons that extremely good initiative. We want to encourage not only parliamentarians but all individuals, and schools Thursday 30 June 2011 and places of work, to plant more trees. We aim to plant 1 million new trees within this parliamentary Session. I will certainly look at the parliamentary scheme as an The House met at half-past Ten o’clock opportunity to remind colleagues how important it is that we do our bit. PRAYERS Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): I supported John Major’s initiative, which was very good, [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] and sponsored two trees in memory of my parents. If we care about our forests and woods, we must ensure that the next generation visits, enjoys and learns about them. The number of out-of-school visits is collapsing Oral Answers to Questions and we must do something about it. Will the Secretary of State join the initiative of the John Clare Trust, which I chair, in launching the “Every child’s right to ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS the countryside” campaign, and give it a bit of support? Mrs Spelman: The hon. Gentleman is right to say The Secretary of State was asked— that the opportunity for our children to learn in nature Forestry is incredibly important, as we highlight in the natural environment White Paper, in which we have given an 1. Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab): undertaking to remove the barriers to outdoor learning. What recent discussions she has had with the chair of The Department for Education wholly supports that. the independent panel on forestry on the future of the Biodiversity public forest estate. [62873] 2. Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) (Con): What The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and recent discussions she has had on the delivery of her Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman): First, I am sure Department’s biodiversity strategy. [62875] that the House would like to join me in wishing the Bishop of Liverpool, who chairs the independent panel, 4. Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con): What recent a speedy recovery from his recent operation. As the discussions she has had on the delivery of her panel is independent, it is important that its members, Department’s biodiversity strategy. [62877] including the chair, enjoy complete freedom to produce their report, the scope of which extends beyond the The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and public forest estate to include the future of all England’s Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman): My Department forests. has regular discussions with interested parties on the delivery of our biodiversity strategy. The Government’s Roberta Blackman-Woods: First, may I associate myself vision for the natural environment, including biodiversity, with the right hon. Lady’s comments about James Jones, is set out in the natural environment White Paper, the Bishop of Liverpool? She will be aware that at least first in 20 years. The UK also endorsed the EU biodiversity some members of the independent panel think that strategy last week. We will shortly publish a new biodiversity more of our woodlands should be in public ownership, strategy for England, which will build on this. not less, so will she give the House a commitment not to sell off any more publicly owned forests and woodland, Christopher Pincher: I welcome my right hon. Friend’s and instead to seek to work with partners to find ways commitment to biodiversity, particularly the idea of of adding to it? biodiversity offsetting set out in the White Paper, but will she confirm that the rules on offsetting that she will Mrs Spelman: As I have said, the panel is independent, put in place will keep it local, so that any development and I have had no separate conversations with its members affecting biodiversity in Tamworth must be offset in to hear the views that the hon. Lady has expressed. The Tamworth, not in some other part of the country? important thing is to wait for the panel to report to us with its recommendations. In the interim, Ministers Mrs Spelman: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have made it absolutely clear that there will be no have given an undertaking in the natural environment further sale of the public forest estate. White Paper that biodiversity offsetting should be in the local area, because local communities need to feel the Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire) (Con): Does benefit if they are to take the development. At present it the Secretary of State recall that in the 1990s John is section 106 agreements that should deliver on biodiversity Major, as Prime Minister, launched an initiative in the offsetting, but what happens is often so far removed national forest to develop a parliamentary area, where from the community that the connection is not made. MPs could sponsor a tree? The aim of that voluntary activity was to encourage biodiversity and help the Chris Skidmore: What plans does the Secretary of forest. Could the independent panel consider such initiatives, State have to include green belt land in the biodiversity because I am sure that throughout the country there are strategy, to ensure that it is protected for generations to groups of individuals who would like to do their bit? come? 1085 Oral Answers30 JUNE 2011 Oral Answers 1086 Mrs Spelman: My hon. Friend is speaking to a Member Richard Benyon: I can give the hon. Lady that assurance. of Parliament whose constituency is entirely in the That is one of the attractions of this scheme, and is why green belt, so I can give him a strong assurance about it works well in other areas. We want to dovetail it into the protection of the green belt. The Department for our planning system because it offers clarity. She is right Communities and Local Government has given an to point out that section 106 negotiations can sometimes undertaking on that, which will be repeated in the be a bit of a horse-trading operation and can result, in national planning policy framework. DEFRA’s strategy certain circumstances, in token biodiversity protection of course includes the protection of the green belt, but activities. This scheme offers a clear, understandable, even within the green belt, communities will have the auditable, accountable system. We are delighted by the opportunity to designate green areas to provide extra response from a number of local authorities through protection and enhance biodiversity. the consultation process. More are now coming forward since the natural environment White Paper was published, Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab): The wildlife crime as are developers. I hope that in the coming months we unit plays an important part in protecting endangered will be able to give her the assurance that she needs. species and preventing the trade in endangered species. How will the Secretary of State ensure that that continues, Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con): given that its budget is guaranteed for only two years? There is, of course, an excellent pilot project that will bring enormous biodiversity benefits at Pickering, in the form of the slow-the-flow flood defence scheme. Mrs Spelman: We have said this on a previous occasion, Will the Minister assure me that the guidance regulations but it is worth repeating because it is important. We under the Reservoirs Act 1975, which are preventing have secured the funding for the wildlife crime unit. It is that project from going ahead, will be swept away? an important part of combating the threat to endangered species from those who seek to do them damage. Richard Benyon: I have just won my bet that my hon. Friend would raise that issue, and she is entirely right to Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): Has the Secretary do so. I share her concerns about the application of the of State seen the concerns of the Institute of Ecology Reservoirs Act and its implications for Pickering. My and Environmental Management, based on a survey of right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has visited the businesses, that although the aims of the biodiversity site. We want to do all we can to ensure that the scheme strategy are laudable, there may be a skills shortage so goes ahead, because we think that it is a good example that we cannot reach the required level by 2020? What of how biodiversity, slowing up water, and flood protection steps will she take to assess the skills required and build can fit together in many areas. We want her constituents the skills base to achieve the objectives? to know that the Government will look into any means possible to ensure that such schemes go ahead. Mrs Spelman: I am happy to share with the House the fact that I co-chair the green economy council, Pig Industry where businesses from all sectors of the economy come together on a regular basis to discuss with us how to green the economy. As part of that, we have a focus on 5. Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire) (Lab): improving green skills, precisely to ensure that we have What recent discussions she has had with people with the experience and training to deliver on representatives of supermarket retail chains on the our important commitments to protect and enhance effects of pricing on the pig industry.