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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 15 May (HL7422), who decided the 125 year leases were an essential element in securing the investment needed; and on what advice this decision was taken.

Long leases of up to 75 years were an integral part of joint venture business set up in 2006. The decision taken to extend the site leases for up to 125 years was taken by the Forestry Commissioners, in consultation with their professional advisors, as part of the commercial restructuring and refinancing of the Forestry Holidays business in 2012.