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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide (a) councils and (b) landowners with details of the conservation covenant responsible body application process before the implementation of biodiversity net gain.

Guidance for any organisations considering applying to become a conservation covenant responsible body will be published and the application process launched as soon as possible, in readiness for the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG).

Land for BNG can already be secured via standard planning obligations such as s106.