Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the resourcing needed to ensure that the proposed Local Nature Recovery Strategies are (a) of a high standard and (b) cover the whole of England.
The Government undertook an Impact Assessment of the Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery (LNR) Strategy provisions in the Environment Bill which was published on 15 October 2019. My officials are continuing to work with counterparts in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and to engage stakeholders to refine our estimates and work towards a more comprehensive assessment of resources required to ensure delivery to a high standard. The Environment Bill requires that, collectively, LNR Strategies cover the whole of England.