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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the threshold is for Natural England to investigate reported burns on deep peat.

Defra takes any allegations of breaches of The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 seriously. With support from Natural England, a desk-based assessment is completed for all reports received. Where an offence cannot be ruled out, these cases are then referred to Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigations team (CFI).