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 potential effect of the proposed 10 per cent biodiversity net gain in new developments on the effectiveness of the nature recovery network.

We published an impact assessment which quantifies the potential benefits of a mandatory biodiversity net gain requirement. This analysis estimates that net gain is likely to deliver several thousands of hectares of habitat creation and enhancement per year, and we anticipate this will make an important contribution to the Nature Recovery Network (NRN).

Beyond the contribution of biodiversity net gain, the NRN requires clear spatial strategies to direct investment, strong partnerships to support its delivery, and a clear set of incentives and land management actions to drive improvements.