To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to progress a tree assurance scheme overseen by his Department.

Assurance schemes are of vital importance for garden centres, nurseries and gardeners in ensuring a biosecure purchase. We recognise the importance of partnership working on this issue as we are keen for the nursery sector to demonstrate leadership in driving up biosecurity standards and encouraging more responsible sourcing of trees and timber.

Defra has encouraged and invested in voluntary-led initiatives such as the ‘UK Sourced and Grown’ nursery assurance scheme from the Woodland Trust and the now separate UK Grown in Britain scheme.

Defra is also supporting the Plant Health Assurance Standard being developed by the Horticultural Trades Association, which aims to drive up biosecurity standards.