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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Benyon on 18 January (HL Deb col 1816), when they will publish their response to the Landscapes review (National Parks and AONBs): implementing the review consultation, which ran from 15 January 2022 to 9 April 2022; and what measures in that review have already been implemented.

The Government will publish a response to our public consultation shortly, ensuring that the proposals fit with the upcoming Environmental Improvement Plan. Our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is a key part of implementing our response to the Landscapes Review and provides funding to deliver projects on the key themes raised by the review including climate, nature, people, and place.

We are helping to create a new partnership to enable National Parks, AONBs and National Trails to achieve closer collaboration on national priorities. Natural England is progressing the landmark designation programme which includes the consideration of two new AONBs and two extensions. This is expected to be completed by 2025 and will play a key role in meeting the government’s commitment to protect and improve 30% of UK land by 2030. Further measures and additional details will be set out in the consultation response.