Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 153
The Government must develop a coherent policy, joined up across Departments, to address the need...
Recommendation
The Government must develop a coherent policy, joined up across Departments, to address the need for increased tree planting to address biodiversity and climate change concerns and the need for sustainable commercial plantations using appropriate tree species to meet the demand for domestic timber in construction. Government has committed to developing a policy roadmap on use of timber in construction. This should be delivered by the end of 2022 at the latest: it must comprehensively address the afforestation commitments made in the England Tree Action Plan and the need for timber construction products.
Government Response Summary
The government highlights the England Tree Action Plan, the Nature for Climate Fund, and the Timber in Construction Working Group to design a policy roadmap, which will report before the end of this Parliament, but notes that further research is needed regarding safety implications and the realistic supply of domestic timber.
Paragraph Reference:
153
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The England Tree Action Plan sets out our proposals to support the creation of woodlands and a thriving forest economy, helping to encourage demand for UK-grown timber to reduce our carbon footprint from imports and replace more carbon-intensive materials. The Nature for Climate Fund will spend more than £750 million by 2025 on woodland creation and management, as well as peat restoration. Through this fund, we will see an unprecedented number of trees planted and managed to deliver more for society, nature, the climate, and the economy. We recognise the important role our commercial forests play in tackling climate change, supporting a green economic recovery and levelling up rural areas. We see timber in construction as a significant opportunity to increase demand for our home-grown timber, with timber being suitable to use in both traditional and certain modern methods of construction in a wide range of commercial and residential settings. Defra have established a cross-government and cross-industry Timber in Construction Working Group to design the policy roadmap committed to in the ETAP. This will identify key actions to safely increase timber and wood product use in construction. It will report before the end of this Parliament. As part of this the working group will consider what impact increasing use of timber in construction will have on domestic timber supplies, as well as exploring other proposals to increase the use of timber in construction. However, further research and scoping is needed to understand safety implications and the realistic supply of domestic timber in coming years. set out in the England Tree Action Plan and Net Zero Strategy which relate to the use of timber in construction. This includes providing £1.5m financial support over the next three years to develop innovative timber products through the Forestry Innovation Fund and working with Homes England and other partners to explore ways to increase timber use in the delivery of housing programmes.