[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Forestry Commission

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 10:43 am on 1 March 2011.

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Photo of James Paice James Paice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 10:43, 1 March 2011

As the right hon. Lady knows, the consultation document contained a lot of variability, particularly about what might be called the middle strata of woodlands and forests—not heritage but not the main commercial areas—where there was a range of options. The income from that is not easy to estimate, but we published an impact assessment as required, and the figures are in the public domain. I repeat: the primary objective of the proposition was not simply to raise cash. I will return in a moment to the issue of ongoing sales.

The right hon. Lady referred to the 0.5 million people who expressed concern about this matter. I cannot help but observe that she took a lot less notice of the 0.5 million people who opposed a ban on fox hunting and whom she treated with disdain.