Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of (a) ancient and (b) veteran trees not covered by Tree Protection Orders in Bedfordshire.

Defra recognises the importance of ancient and veteran trees, which provide irreplaceable habitats and a wide range of social, environmental and economic benefits to communities across the country. The value of ancient woodlands and ancient and veteran trees is recognised through the National Planning Policy Framework where these habitats are identified as irreplaceable. We do not have the data to estimate of the number of these trees not covered by Tree Protection Orders in Bedfordshire.