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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage public participation in nature in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

This Government is committed to giving everyone in the country the opportunity to engage with nature. As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 there are a range of actions being taken at the national level to improve access to nature including the creation of nine new National River Walks, three new National Forests and the publication of an Access to Nature Green Paper to explore further opportunities to enhance and expand access to green and blue spaces. This Government has announced that the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor, which runs directly through the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency, will host the second of three new national forests. The forest will deliver economic, environmental and social benefits, supporting economic development and improving outcomes for local communities. The competition to identify a delivery partner has recently closed and applications are being reviewed.