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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information Natural England is required to publish regarding its engagement with developers and planning authorities in cases involving Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Natural England (NE) is a statutory consultee under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 in respect of development that is within, or likely to affect, a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

There is no statutory requirement for NE to publish its engagement with developers or local planning authorities when exercising this function. Local planning authorities are required to maintain a public planning register. While statutory consultee responses are commonly included, there is no explicit duty for them to publish such information.