Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the role of the mitigation hierarchy of (a) avoidance, (b) mitigation and (c) compensation in ensuring ecological protections (i) during the planning process and (ii) following the approval of new developments.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that when determining planning applications, local planning authorities should apply the principle that if significant harm to biodiversity resulting from a development cannot be avoided, adequately mitigated, or, as a last resort, compensated for, then planning permission should be refused.

Any mitigation or compensation would be set out in the planning conditions and obligations associated with the planning permission, enabling local planning authorities to monitor the development's implementation and, if necessary, take enforcement action.