Reappointment of three Forestry Commissioners

Her Majesty The Queen has approved the reappointment of three Forestry Commissioners for further terms. They are Judith Webb and Jon Owen Jones, Forestry Commissioners for Wales, and Sir Harry Studholme, who is a Commissioner for England.

Judith Webb has been reappointed for a further four years. Ms Webb runs a business specialising in woodland management, land-use policy and conservation schemes. She is a Secretary of State appointee to the Cotswolds AONB Conservation Board, a member of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society's Forestry Committee, and an independent member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. She has previously been Chair of Defra’s Rural Development Service and a member of the Forestry Commission’s National Committee for England and Advisory Committee for Wales.

Mr Jones has been reappointed for a further three years. He chairs the Forestry Commission's National Committee for Wales, and is a former MP, a former Minister for the Environment, Farming and Forestry in the Welsh Office, and a former member of the UK Parliament's Environmental Audit and Health Select Committees.

Sir Harry Studholme has been reappointed for one year. Sir Harry has been involved in business in South West England for more than 30 years in manufacturing, land management and insurance. He is Chairman of the South West Regional Development Agency, the South West Chamber of Rural Enterprise, and the Finding Sanctuary Steering Group working to create Marine Protected Areas off South West England. He is a member of the South West Rural Affairs Forum, and former chairman of South West Food and Drink. His own business interests include the Perridge Estate, which includes farmland, woodland, housing and light industry.

Further details about the Forestry Commissioners is available at www.forestry.gov.uk/commissioners. 

NOTE TO EDITORS:

1. The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for advising on and implementing forestry policy in Great Britain. It is a cross-border public authority responsible separately to Ministers in England, Scotland and Wales, and collectively on GB matters. The Commission manages approximately 1 million hectares of public forest land, provides advice to Ministers, offers grants for expanding, regenerating and managing forests, regulates tree felling, sets standards for good forestry practice, and works to protect Britain’s forests from pests and diseases. Through its Forest Research arm it conducts world-class scientific research and technical development relevant to forestry for a range of internal and external clients.  For further information visit www.forestry.gov.uk and www.forestresearch.gov.uk.
2. The Forestry Commissioners advise and oversee the work of the Forestry Commission on behalf of Ministers in the UK, Scottish and Welsh Assembly Governments. They are appointed by Royal Warrant under the Forestry Act 1967, and in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.
3. All appointments are made on merit, and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Mr Jones is a member of the Labour Party, and Ms Webb and Sir Harry Studholme have not declared any political activity.
4. Ms Webb’s and Sir Harry Studholme’s remuneration is currently £11,001 a year each, and Mr Jones’ is £14,181. Sir Harry and Ms Webb hold the following other Ministerial appointments (with annual remuneration in parentheses). Sir Harry: Chairman of the South West England Regional Development Agency (£80,510); Ms Webb: Independent Member of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (£9836); Secretary of State appointee to Cotswolds AONB Board (£260); non-executive Director of the National Forest Company (£3168); and Public Appointments Ambassador (unremunerated).

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