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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed changes to the Habitats Regulations on the Government’s ability to comply with its international obligations under the (a) Bern Convention and (b) Ramsar Convention.

Review of the Habitats Regulations was proposed in the Nature Recovery Green Paper. That consultation closed on 11 May and we are now in the process of analysing responses. The Government will publish a formal response in due course.

As set out in the Nature Recovery Green Paper, any review of legislation relating to protected sites will be consistent with the UK’s international commitments.