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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February Question 140080 on Environment Protection: Standards, if she will publish that evidence base.

The preparation of the Significant Improvement Test and the Secretary of State’s conclusion that the Significant Improvement Test had been met adhered to the legislative requirements set out in the Environment Act 2021. Targets were developed using an extensive evidence base. Defra Arm’s Length Bodies were engaged during the early development of the Significant Improvement Test. Defra continues to work with the Office for Environmental Protection to enable it to carry out its monitoring and reporting functions.