Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 15 September (HL Deb cols 1885–88), whether they will provide assurance to private landlords that the cost cap to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will not be raised, and that a higher energy efficiency will not be required.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C by 2030. In the consultation, government set out proposals on maximum spend required from landlords and the exemptions regime to manage the cost burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still achieving our ambition to deliver significant bill savings for tenants and lift households out of fuel poverty. No final decisions have been made and a government response to the consultation with be published in due course.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what data on the distribution of non-aquatic species will be used for the development of environmental delivery plans, and what steps they will take to ensure those data are robust and complete.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), developed under the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF), will be based on the best available scientific evidence to ensure that the overall improvement test is met.

Natural England must also undertake sufficient monitoring once an EDP is in place to assure the effectiveness of conservation measures. Amendments tabled in the name of my Rt Hon friend Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE will require that each EDP must include the anticipated sequencing of conservation actions in relation to development, and back-up measures must be deployed if monitoring shows the plan is underperforming.

The Government recognises that EDPs will not be appropriate or necessary for every protected species, and EDPs will be introduced over time as the evidence permits. We expect it to be faster to develop EDPs in areas with well-established and tested strategic solutions, such as District Level Licensing for Great Crested Newts.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government how the modelling of species distributions and the impact of changes to habitats and conditions will be validated in the development of environmental delivery plans; and how long they expect the validation of those models for each species to take.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), developed under the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF), will be based on the best available scientific evidence to ensure that the overall improvement test is met.

Natural England must also undertake sufficient monitoring once an EDP is in place to assure the effectiveness of conservation measures. Amendments tabled in the name of my Rt Hon friend Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE will require that each EDP must include the anticipated sequencing of conservation actions in relation to development, and back-up measures must be deployed if monitoring shows the plan is underperforming.

The Government recognises that EDPs will not be appropriate or necessary for every protected species, and EDPs will be introduced over time as the evidence permits. We expect it to be faster to develop EDPs in areas with well-established and tested strategic solutions, such as District Level Licensing for Great Crested Newts.

Found: BARONESS TAYLOR OF STEVENAGE 245A_ Clause 55, page 92, line 7, at end insert— “(3A) An EDP must set

Found: Clause 93 BARONESS TAYLOR OF STEVENAGE 186_ Clause 93, page 122, line 26, after “(1B)” insert “(as

Found: Clause 93 BARONESS TAYLOR OF STEVENAGE 186_ Clause 93, page 122, line 26, after “(1B)” insert “(as

Found: class="govuk-table__row js-govuk-table__row">

Found: Ponsonby of Shulbrede Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Baroness Taylor of Stevenage

Found: Nil Return Nil Return Alex Norris Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Baroness Taylor of Stevenage

Found: Nil Return Alex Norris Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Baroness Taylor of Stevenage

Found: class="govuk-table__row js-govuk-table__row">

Found: class="govuk-table__row js-govuk-table__row">

Found: class="govuk-table__row js-govuk-table__row">

Found: Return Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Baroness Taylor of Stevenage

Found: Letter dated 25/09/2025 from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage to Lord Jamieson regarding correction to an