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9 Oct 2006 : Column 231W—continued

Timber

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to which forest timber transport infrastructure project which (a) has received and (b) has been approved to receive financial assistance from funds set up by the Government relates; what type of project each is; and how much funding each project has received or been approved to receive. [89596]

Barry Gardiner: There is no scheme for funding timber transport infrastructure projects in England. Forestry and rural affairs are devolved and any financial assistance for projects of this type in Scotland would be the responsibility of the devolved Administration.

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many cases of illegal tree felling Forest Enterprise has passed to the prosecuting authorities in each of the last five years, broken down by forestry district; [89362]

(2) how many cases of illegal tree felling have been prosecuted by the prosecuting authorities in each of the last five years, broken down by forestry district and what sentence was imposed in each case in which all proceedings are complete. [89363]

Barry Gardiner: Forestry is a devolved matter and prosecution for illegal tree felling in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the respective Administrations. In England the Forestry Commission investigates reports of illegal tree felling and the decision to prosecute is made by the Commission.

The number of investigations, prosecutions, sentences imposed and Restocking Notices issues over the last five years by Conservancy (region) are set out in the following table. These are recorded against the year in which investigation commenced, although prosecution may have occurred in the following year.

9 Oct 2006 : Column 232W

2005-06
Conservancy	Number	Sentence where prosecuted	Restocking notice issued
East of England
Investigations	5
Prosecutions	3	1) Conditional Discharge	Yes
		2) £2,500 Fine	Yes
		3) Conditional Discharge	Pending
East Midlands
Investigation	1
Prosecution	1	1) £1,600 Fine	Pending
North East
Investigation	1
Prosecutions	0
North West
Investigations	2
Prosecution	1	1) £1,200 Fine	Yes
South East
Investigations	15
Prosecutions	7	1) £1,800 Fine	Yes
		2) Conditional Discharge	Yes
		3) £1,200 Fine	Pending
		4) Conditional Discharge	Yes
		5) Pending Court Hearing
		6) Pending Court Hearing
		7) Pending Court Hearing
South West
Investigations	2
Prosecution	1	1) Pending Court Hearing
West Midlands
Investigations	8
Prosecutions	0
Yorkshire and Humber
Investigations	2
Prosecutions	0

9 Oct 2006 : Column 233W

2004-05
Conservancy	Number	Sentence where prosecuted	Restocking notice issued
East of England
Investigations	4
Prosecution	1	1) £800 Fine	Yes
East Midlands
Investigations	2
Prosecution	1	1) £2,250 Fine	Yes
North East
Investigations	2
Prosecutions	0
North West
Investigations	5
Prosecutions	4	1) £2,000 Fine	No
		2) £1,000 Fine	Yes
		3) £750 Fine	Yes
		4) £1,000 Fine	Yes
South East
Investigations	11
Prosecutions	3	1) £1,000 Fine	Yes
		2) £1,600 Fine	Yes
		3) Conditional Discharge	Yes
South West
Investigations	3
Prosecution	0
West Midlands
Investigations	3
Prosecutions	1	1) £4,000 Fine	Yes
Yorkshire and Humber
Investigations	3
Prosecutions	1	1) £200 Fine	Yes

9 Oct 2006 : Column 234W

2003-04
Conservancy	Number	Sentence where prosecuted	Restocking notice issued
East of England
Investigations	7
Prosecutions	2	1) 500 Fine	Yes
		2) 2,500 Fine	Yes
East Midlands
Investigation	1
Prosecutions	0
North East
Investigation	1
Prosecutions	0
North West
Investigations	2
Prosecution	1	1) £300 Fine	Yes
South East
Investigations	16
Prosecutions	2	1) Conditional Discharge	Yes
		2) Case Withdrawn	No
South West
Investigation	1
Prosecution	1	1) £500 Fine	Yes
West Midlands
Investigations	7
Prosecutions	2	1) £500 Fine	No
		2) £2,000 Fine	Yes
Yorkshire and Humber
Investigations	3
Prosecution	1	1) £1,800 Fine	Yes

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