Regulatory Reform (Forestry) Order 2006

rose to move, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Regulatory Reform (Forestry) Order 2006 [14th Report from the Regulatory Reform Committee].—(Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton.) The noble Baroness said: The order will give the Forestry Commissioners new powers in three main areas. The first is to enter into joint ventures, particularly to provide recreational facilities on the public forest estate. The commissioners would be empowered to invest in and make loans to companies for these purposes. It will also enable them to delegate the power to charge for recreational facilities provided on the public forest estate. Secondly, it would give the commissioners the power to exploit their research commercially. The commissioners already have specific powers to undertake research work, which will help to develop their science and technology expertise. Thirdly, the order would give the commissioners new powers to require restocking of trees felled unlawfully without the person responsible for felling them first having been convicted of unlawful felling. It will also allow the commissioners to enforce restocking requirements against persons other than freeholders. The Select Committee on Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform concluded that these proposals were an appropriate use of the powers under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001. I thank the Members of that committee for the time they spent scrutinising the proposal and for recommending it to the House. The committee in the other place also considered that the proposals were within the vires of the 2001 Act. The order was unanimously approved in the other place. I commend the order to the House. I beg to move. Moved, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Regulatory Reform (Forestry) Order 2006 [14th Report from the Regulatory Reform Committee].—(Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton.)