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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on (1) legal protections for European protected species, and (2) the population of such protected species in England.

Nature is in need of our help. We have been clear about the importance of environmental protection across the United Kingdom, not least through our world leading Environment Act, which sets a new legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and we are developing an extensive policy programme to deliver that.

In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.