Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding from the Nature Restoration Levy is expected to be spent on increased resources within Natural England between 2025 and 2029.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working closely with Natural England and the wider Government to ensure appropriate resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund. The levy rate which developers will be required to pay will be set by Natural England.

The Nature Restoration Fund will run on a full cost recovery basis. The Government may in some instances provide upfront funding to a delivery body to commence actions identified in Delivery Plans in advance of need, with costs recovered over time as development comes forward. The Nature Restoration Fund will offset the environmental impact of development via a developer contribution.

We recognise the important role farmers, land managers, ecologists, and nature service providers will continue to play in supporting both development and nature’s recovery. These will be essential to the design and delivery of nature conservation measures under this new system. Natural England will ensure competition and innovation in securing interventions which are impactful and offer good value for developers’ money.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding Natural England is expected to receive under the Nature Restoration Levy between 2025 and 2029.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working closely with Natural England and the wider Government to ensure appropriate resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund. The levy rate which developers will be required to pay will be set by Natural England.

The Nature Restoration Fund will run on a full cost recovery basis. The Government may in some instances provide upfront funding to a delivery body to commence actions identified in Delivery Plans in advance of need, with costs recovered over time as development comes forward. The Nature Restoration Fund will offset the environmental impact of development via a developer contribution.

We recognise the important role farmers, land managers, ecologists, and nature service providers will continue to play in supporting both development and nature’s recovery. These will be essential to the design and delivery of nature conservation measures under this new system. Natural England will ensure competition and innovation in securing interventions which are impactful and offer good value for developers’ money.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the funding raised by the Nature Restoration Levy they expect Natural England to spend on services provided by private sector consultants, landowners and private contractors.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working closely with Natural England and the wider Government to ensure appropriate resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund. The levy rate which developers will be required to pay will be set by Natural England.

The Nature Restoration Fund will run on a full cost recovery basis. The Government may in some instances provide upfront funding to a delivery body to commence actions identified in Delivery Plans in advance of need, with costs recovered over time as development comes forward. The Nature Restoration Fund will offset the environmental impact of development via a developer contribution.

We recognise the important role farmers, land managers, ecologists, and nature service providers will continue to play in supporting both development and nature’s recovery. These will be essential to the design and delivery of nature conservation measures under this new system. Natural England will ensure competition and innovation in securing interventions which are impactful and offer good value for developers’ money.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the Woodland Carbon Code to achieve the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market accreditation.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Woodland Carbon Code is planning to apply for Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market accreditation this year although this Council is not currently set up to accredit schemes that are run by Governments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the results of the consultation on allowing Woodland Carbon Credits under the Woodland Carbon Code to be admitted into the United Kingdom Emissions Trading Scheme.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

We are currently exploring the inclusion of greenhouse gas removals into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, including the potential integration of high integrity woodland, such as Woodland Carbon Units under the Woodland Carbon Code. A consultation was launched in May 2024, and we will respond in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government for how many acres of ‘best and most versatile agricultural land’ (grades 1, 2 and 3A) consent has been granted for solar energy generation as nationally significant infrastructure projects since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Since 04 July 2024, 6 solar farms have been approved which are located either mostly or entirely on grade 1-3 agricultural land (not distinguishing between 3a and 3b type). Together, these projects have a total area size of 11,671 acres within their Development Consent Order (DCO) limits. Just over half of this will be used for the solar farm development and the remaining land within the projects’ DCO limits will be used for purposes such as environmental mitigations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the value of the Nature Restoration Fund balance sheet by 2029.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Nature Restoration Fund will collect levy payments from developers seeking to discharge relevant environmental obligations through an Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP). The EDP will spend those funds on conservation measures deployed by Natural England to outweigh the negative effects of development. The fund is not intended to accrue value, as it is intended that levy receipts will be rapidly deployed into the delivery of conservation measures to deliver environmental benefit.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many times local authorities have used compulsory purchase order powers in the most recent year for which data are available.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government did not use its compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers in 2024.

The Department does not collect data on the number of times CPO powers have been used by local authorities and other bodies to compulsory acquire land. The following data on the number of CPOs made by such bodies which were confirmed in 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many times compulsory purchase order powers have been used by all permitted bodies in the most recent year data are available.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government did not use its compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers in 2024.

The Department does not collect data on the number of times CPO powers have been used by local authorities and other bodies to compulsory acquire land. The following data on the number of CPOs made by such bodies which were confirmed in 2024.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many times they have used compulsory purchase order powers in the most recent year for which data are available.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government did not use its compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers in 2024.

The Department does not collect data on the number of times CPO powers have been used by local authorities and other bodies to compulsory acquire land. The following data on the number of CPOs made by such bodies which were confirmed in 2024.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have had with representatives of the Canal and River Trust since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since 4 July 2024 there has been one formal grant review meeting between officials and Canal and River Trust senior management, which was part of the regular series of three such meetings per year. There are also ongoing working level meetings between the Trust and officials to support grant management.

The Canal and Rivers Trust is also a member of the Flood Resilience Taskforce.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the incidence of litter on urban towpaths with the Canal and River Trust since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We have discussed the general upkeep of towpath conditions with the Canal and River Trust, but have not specifically discussed the incidence of litter on urban towpaths since July 2024.

Found: Clause 25 LORD ROBOROUGH 176_ Clause 25, page 41, line 35, leave out paragraph (a) Member's explanatory