To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction of forecast volume of available supplies of UK sourced softwood on (a) the wood panel industry and (b) other biomass-using industry; and if he will make a statement. (108762)

I have not made any assessment. The recent UK softwood availability forecast, published by the Forestry Commission, provides improved and more up-to-date supply information than was previously available. This should enable any detailed industry appraisals that need to take into account the potential supply of UK softwood to be better informed.