Proposed sale of UK woodlands

[Gerry Webster]

Despicable indeed Lesley. Our current lot are just like our last lot - they know the price of everything & the value of nothing.

[FrazerHenderson]

Just a few observtions:

1. The UK Government is conducting a consultation in respect of state-owned forests in England. Forests in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not covered by the consultation.

2. The consultation can be viewed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/forests/20110127-forestry-consult-doc.pdf

3. A petition to a consultation constitutes a single response.

[Martin Baxendale]

Just a few observtions:

1. The UK Government is conducting a consultation in respect of state-owned forests in England. Forests in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not covered by the consultation.

2. The consultation can be viewed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/forests/20110127-forestry-consult-doc.pdf

3. A petition to a consultation constitutes a single response.

The petitions against the sell-off are not responses to  the consultations. They are petitions to the government demanding that the government calls off the whole idea and are independent of the consultation process. Indeed, the organisations against the sell-offs are very unhappy with the consultation process and are asking people to hold off responding to it until the consultation has been carefully scrutinised. They feel the consultation does not give people a chance to say they do not want a sell off, but simply asks them which aspects of a sell off they would prefer over others. The legislation allowing the sell off is already going through parliament, having been introduced before the consultation even got underway. It looks like it will be a fait accompli unless individual MPs can be persuaded to vote it down.

[Gerry Webster]

I emailed my MP regarding this proposal. Here is her reply:

From: "LUCAS, Caroline" <caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk>
Date: 1 February 2011 16:52:14 GMT
Subject: RE: Don't sell off our woodlands

Dear Gerry,
 
Many thanks for your email about the future of our national forests and woodlands. I absolutely agree that they shouldn’t be for sale and that’s why I have been taking every opportunity to oppose the coalition’s plans. This has included tabling a number of parliamentary questions, which you can read below, and I have spoken about this issue a number of times in the House of Commons too. I am also hoping to take part in tomorrow’s debate and will be voting against any legislation that would result in the privatisation of our much loved and valued natural heritage. The coalition has started to make concessions in the face of public pressure but none of their promises about safeguards for eg access or around the leasing of forests have yet to be included in the Public Bodies Bill. And I still want them to make a firm commitment to retain our woodlands and forests under public ownership. It is, therefore, vital to keep up the pressure on Ministers and send a clear message to the government about what we think of their proposals. I am  working closely with 38 Degrees and the Save the Forests campaigns to this end.
 
Last week I issued this press statement in response to the government’s consultation plans:
 
There was a public consultation on the Public Forest Estate less than 18 months ago. We don’t need another one. The public have already made it clear that they want to maintain public forests – and many are now concerned that the Government’s misjudged and short-sighted plans pose a serious threat to whole swathes of our much loved woodlands. Despite Caroline Spelman’s belief that the Government should not involve itself in forest management, there are very good reasons for our woodlands and forests to remain under public ownership. The Forestry Commission has a proven record in environmental protection and managing sites of special scientific interest. It is highly unlikely that the same kind of long term care and protection would be afforded to the land once in private hands. Furthermore, access rights on Forestry Commission land go far beyond the basic rights of access that the law offers.
 
And if the Government’s claims about environmental protection are true, the sell-off makes no economic sense either. Who will want to buy this land unless they can develop it into a profit making enterprise? The fact is, the plans are unlikely to make any money and may even cost the taxpayer extra, as those who take our forests apply for Government grants that may match or even exceed the value of the sale. The Government is now on the back foot as a result of the public campaign against their ill judged plans. But we still have a fight on our hands to resist the legislative changes that would make the sell off a reality – which is why I will be seeking to amend the Public Bodies Bill in the Commons.
 
You can read more about my personal position in this piece for the  Guardian's Comment is Free website - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/nov/16/fight-government-forest-sell-off
 
I appreciate your support on this issue and that you have taken the time to write to me about such an important matter. Do let me know if you need any further information and please be assured that protecting Britain’s forests and woodlands remains a top priority for me as Brighton Pavilion's MP. 
 
Best wishes,
Caroline.
 
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
 

[Martin Baxendale]

Ah, Caroline, our first Green MP, very hard working and just all round brilliant.

[Gerry Webster]

Ah, Caroline, our first Green MP, very hard working and just all round brilliant.

I'm happy to say I voted for her.

[ashley]

Yes she seems to be a politician with integrity, and there aren't very many of those! 
Best of luck with the campaign.  In Ireland we may face something similar before long.

[David Nicholson]

A few days ago I posted a reply I had received from my MP. He must have referred my original Email to Defra (Dept. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and here is the reply I received yesterday. Full of civil service speak!!

...

<SNIP>Dear Mr Nicholson,

Thank you for your email of 26 January to the Secretary of State about the Public Forest Estate in England.  I have been asked to reply.

Defra and the Forestry Commission have recently launched a consultation (www.forestry.gov.uk/england-pfeconsultation) on proposals for new ownership and management options for the public forest estate in England, so no decisions have yet been taken on the future of individual sites. The consultation document sets out various methods we might use to secure important public benefits that forests provide, and the future direction that we expect the Forestry Commission to take.

We are pursuing a new approach to ownership and management of woodlands and forests, with a reducing role for the State and a growing role for civil society and the private sector.  These aims are compatible with our commitment to the natural environment and we will ensure that the protection of our most valuable and biodiverse forests will not be compromised. We will ensure that robust measures will remain to preserve the public and environmental benefits of woods and forests under any new ownership arrangements.

Yours sincerely,

Veronica Jackson
Customer Contact Unit
Defra

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
<SNIP>

[Gerry Webster]

We all know what 'consultation' means. We've had a few in Brighton under various regimes   - opinions collected with one hand & thrown into the bin with the other.

[Gerry Webster]

On Friday night on Radio 4's 'Any Questions' a panel member from the extreme right - James Deglinpole - referred to the enormous number of people who have signed the petitions against the sale as a "mob". An illuminating insight into the mindset of our rulers. Evidently the plebs are getting above themselves.   

[daveyp1970]

I received a letter from the house of commons from my Tory MP and i have to tell you i really don't think they have any intention of listening to the masses,from what i can tell in the letter they will do what they will do,it totally blew any wind i had in my sail away that day.I don't bother voting normally because i just couldn't imagine that any party in power would do anything different,but after that letter i will be voting next time.

[Gail]

Our Tory MP didn't even bother to respond.....

[daveyp1970]

he didn't want to waste the paper because trees=money gail.

[Gerry Webster]

You can see here how your MP voted in the 'woodland sale' debate on Wednesday:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/content/forest_vote_table/

[daveyp1970]

Gerry apparently my MP was absent ,WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?