Isra-Mart srl:Spelman takes rap for failed forest sell-off

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Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has today confirmed the scrapping of the government's controversial forest sell-off plans, offering an unequivocal apology to the House of Commons for the proposals that will further fuel speculation about her future.

Spelman said that she took "full responsibility" for the plan, which provoked waves of protest that ultimately forced the coalition into its biggest U-turn since taking office last year.

"I am sorry, we got this one wrong, but we have listened to people's concerns," Spelman said. "I would like to thank colleagues for their support through what has been a difficult time. I now want to move forward in step with the public."

She revealed that the government would formally drop the consultation into how to sell off the public forest estate, remove clauses from the public bodies bill that would have allowed the government to sell off all public forests, and launch a new independent panel to report on forest policy reform by the autumn.

Labour MPs said that Spelman had been forced into a "humiliating" climbdown that was partly the result of her high-profile willingness to accept deep cuts to Defra's budget.

"Today the air is filled with the sound of chickens coming home to roost," said shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh. "The secretary of state has discovered that her first priority – delivering the 30 per cent cut which she inflicted on her department – has a hefty political price attached to it."

Downing Street officials have maintained that prime minister David Cameron retains full confidence in Spelman, but the Guardian quoted one senior Tory as saying the environment secretary is "finished".

Attention will now turn to the independent panel, which is likely to be given the task of recommending new policies that will lead to an expansion of forest land, improve access and biodiversity, and end the conflict of interest that sees the Forestry Commission sell and regulate timber.

In the original consultation, the government said that under any new ownership regime the UK should aim to increase the area of forested land in order to meet demand for sustainable timber from the construction industry and biomass power plants that is expected to grow as a result of the low-carbon transition.

"We look forward to greater certainty about the future management of our forests," said Colin Butfield, head of campaigns at WWF-UK. "Whatever detail emerges from the independent panel, it is especially important that future plans retain FSC certification and measures that guarantee good management, specifically for protecting habitats and biodiversity."