Will the Minister detail the budget allocation for The Small Grants Woodland Creation Scheme for 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 and explain what proportion of this funding comes from a) the rural affairs budget-line; and b) the climate change budget-line, over each of the three previously mentioned years?
The Small Grants Woodland Creation Scheme is funded via the Rural Investment Scheme budget line, part of the Rural Affairs budget. As published in the scheme’s guidance, the indicative budget allocation in 2022-23 was £1m and in 2023-24 it is £3m. I cannot confirm allocations at a scheme-level for 2024-25 at this time. The Cabinet are currently considering budget allocations, and these will inform our draft budget which will be published in December.