Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Nature Conservation

(asked on 9th February 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times Natural England has (a) served a (i) variable monetary penalty notice, (ii) compliance notice, (iii) restoration notice and (b) brought criminal proceedings in response to non-compliance with Enforcement Undertakings relating to SSSIs.


Answered by
Rebecca Pow Portrait
Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This question was answered on 17th February 2021

In response to the 50 enforcement undertakings that Natural England has accepted relating to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Natural England has issued 2 completion certificates.

In response to non-compliance with enforcement undertakings relating to SSSIs, Natural England has not served any civil sanctions or undertaken any criminal proceedings. Natural England is nevertheless planning to undertake comprehensive compliance/success monitoring of their enforcement undertaking outcomes in the forthcoming field season. COVID-19 restrictions may impact this work but where necessary enforcement visits will continue to ensure that our protected sites are looked after in an appropriate manner.

In monitoring compliance with stop notices, Natural England takes a risk based approach. Where non-compliance has been suspected this has been subject to further investigation. In regard to the five Stop Notices in respect of which completion certificates have not been issued, further enforcement action was not found to be necessary. In the one case where non-compliance was discovered, the offender was able to be swiftly brought back into compliance through advice.

Information on Natural England enforcement action is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-enforcement-action-taken-by-natural-england).

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