asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Rooker on 19 December (WA 310), whether, in light of the one prosecution in response to 41 infringements of tree preservation orders in a three-year period, they remain committed to environmental protection. [HL1115]

My department is committed to environmental protection and while only one prosecution arose from the 41 tree preservation order enforcement cases opened, in the majority of cases resolution was achieved by appropriate replacement planting, thus achieving the objectives of the original orders, and a number of other reported breaches turned out to be routine permitted maintenance.