I CONTINUE to be surprised by our MP Mark Harper, who

persists in assuring us that we have nothing to fear about

a sell-off of our Forest because he has the assurances of

the current Forestry Minister that this will not happen

(Review January 7).

It may well be that this Forestry Minister has given

Mark such assurances but the powers being given

ministers in the Public Bodies Bill will be there to be used

in perpetuity by any future minister, no matter what

colour or persuasion.   And by then there will be nothing

we can do to prevent it.

By giving so much power to ministers to act without

reference to Parliament, The Public Bodies Bill is a sinister

piece of legislation that cuts to the heart of our

democratic system.    Indeed, it has been described by an

eminent group of lawyers on the House of Lords Select

Committee on the Constitution as constitutionally

dangerous. To quote from their report:   "The Public

Bodies Bill strikes at the very heart of our constitutional

system, being a type of 'framework' or 'enabling'

legislation that drains the lifeblood of legislative

amendment and debate across a very broad range of

public arrangements."

We have to fight now to protect our forests – if we

do not, any future decisions can be taken by a minister

without reference even to parliament.

– James Winship, Alvington.