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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it remains her policy to maintain the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 in their current form.

Recommendations from the Habitats Regulations Post Implementation Review (2025), the Corry Review (2025), and Recommendation 11 of the Fingleton Review (2025) highlight issues around clarity, usability, risk aversion and delays in the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. This Government is considering the findings of these reviews to address the issues identified, including taking forward Recommendations 11 and 12 of the Fingleton Review and preparing updated Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) guidance which will support clearer decision making and promote a more proportionate application of the Regulations.