Spelman axes forest sell-off

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Caroline Spelman has said she takes "full responsibility" for the u-turn over plans to sell off England's forests.

Government proposals to sell off the publicly-owned forest estate to private companies and charities caused widespread objections.

MPs reported receiving unusually high numbers of letters from constituents opposing the move.

In a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon the under-fire environment secretary said she had abandoned the plan after it became clear "the public and many MPs are not happy with the proposals".

"I am sorry, we got this one wrong, but we have listened to people's concerns," she said.

"I would like to thank colleagues for their support through what has been a difficult time. I now want to move forward in step with the public.

"I hope that the measures I have announced today, signalling a fresh approach, demonstrate my intention to do the right thing for our forests and woodlands."

Labour pounced on the apparent U-turn and said Spelman had been humiliated by the prime minister. Backbenchers heckled her with shouts of "resign" as she gave her statement.

Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said the government should "learn the lessons of this debacle".

"Today the air is filled with the sound of chickens coming home to roost," she said.

"The secretary of state has discovered that her first priority, delivering the 30 per cent cut which she inflicted on her department, has a hefty political price attached to it."

Spelman was one of the first secretaries of state to submit plans to cut her department's budget to the Treasury.

And Creagh said the u-turn was indicative of how the entire government functions.

"We have the prime minister, a self-styled non-executive chairman, now setting up a unit to monitor ministers," she said. "But he's barking up the wrong tree.

"It's not individual departments he should be putting into special measures, it's the whole government that's out of touch."

But Spelman told the Commons that humility was a good quality in a politician and that it was "only humiliating if you're afraid to say sorry". She said listening to public concerns was part of the 'new politics' the coalition hoped to bring about.

The plans to sell off the forests were particularly awkward for many rural Conservatives and New Forest East MP Julian Lewis said he "unreservedly welcomes the prime minister's sensible and timely" change of mind.

A new independent panel is to be set up to consider forestry policy in England and is due to report back in the autumn.

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