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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to establish a Chilterns National Park; and if he will make a statement.

The duty to consider areas for National Park designation lies with Natural England, which then makes an order to be confirmed by the Secretary of State. Natural England announced its current designation programme in 2021, which includes considering a variation to extend the boundary of the existing Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Natural England is also undertaking a strategic England landscape assessment to identify areas which may have potential for future National Park AONB designation, as well as places for alternative landscape action.

Natural England has no current plans to designate the Chilterns AONB as a National Park.