---

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what grants will be available from her Department or the Forestry Commission between now and 31 March 2006 to assist the creation of new woodlands. [187256] Mr. Bradshaw: The Forestry Commission will continue to pay the woodland creation grants approved in existing Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) contracts. These contracts extend beyond 31 March 2006 and include capital grants for establishment, additional grants for afforestation of improved agricultural land and for creating new woodland with public access. A range of premiums will also be paid to support the National Forest, Community Forests, South West Forest and the North West's `Forest Futures' initiative. Subject to meeting the technical and administrative requirements of the WGS, grants will also be paid on those applications received before the WGS closed to new applications for new planting, but which have yet to be approved. Payments will also be made under the associated Farm Woodland Premium Scheme operated by Defra. This makes annual payments in accordance with the terms of the scheme for up to 15 years. This scheme will apply to some of the WGS applications which have yet to be approved. It is expected that from mid 2005 new applications for grant aid will be accepted by the Forestry Commission for woodland creation under the English Woodland Grant Scheme. This will be in time for planting to take place in the 2005-06 planting season, with grant payments being made from April 2006.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c1583W;424 c1581W; 187256

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Finance Grants Forestry Tree planting

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk