Lord Teverson

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and we are working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. This is why we have set out our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, expanding access to the great outdoors.

We are considering our approach to improving access to nature and are committed to working with our stakeholders as we develop this thinking. We will provide a further update in due course.

We will build the housing and infrastructure that Britain desperately needs while protecting the environment.

That is why we are working closely with the sector to make biodiversity net gain work effectively and proportionally, with exemptions in place for any development that would have no or minimal impact on nature.

The list of specified exemptions is narrow and focused and keeps the policy ambitious, while being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local planning authorities.

Officials are monitoring the implementation of biodiversity net gain closely, and regularly meet with those engaging with it across local planning authorities, developers, and the land management sector.

Biodiversity net gain fundamentally changes how developers choose land to build on and how they design sites, and we are pleased to see so many stakeholders embracing this opportunity to deliver much needed development and deliver for the environment.

We will build the housing and infrastructure that Britain desperately needs while protecting the environment.

That is why we are working closely with the sector to make biodiversity net gain work effectively and proportionally, with exemptions in place for any development that would have no or minimal impact on nature.

The list of specified exemptions is narrow and focused and keeps the policy ambitious, while being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local planning authorities.

Officials are monitoring the implementation of biodiversity net gain closely, and regularly meet with those engaging with it across local planning authorities, developers, and the land management sector.

Biodiversity net gain fundamentally changes how developers choose land to build on and how they design sites, and we are pleased to see so many stakeholders embracing this opportunity to deliver much needed development and deliver for the environment.

We will build the housing and infrastructure that Britain desperately needs while protecting the environment.

That is why we are working closely with the sector to make biodiversity net gain work effectively and proportionally, with exemptions in place for any development that would have no or minimal impact on nature.

The list of specified exemptions is narrow and focused and keeps the policy ambitious, while being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local planning authorities.

Officials are monitoring the implementation of biodiversity net gain closely, and regularly meet with those engaging with it across local planning authorities, developers, and the land management sector.

Biodiversity net gain fundamentally changes how developers choose land to build on and how they design sites, and we are pleased to see so many stakeholders embracing this opportunity to deliver much needed development and deliver for the environment.

This Government is committed to nature recovery. Work is underway to develop options for the role marine net gain may play including consideration of timescales for operation of the policy.

The Government has not made a detailed assessment of the costs and benefits of such a scheme but will consider it carefully as it develops its future plans for active travel.

The management of the crown estate in Scotland is a devolved matter. In the first instance it is a matter for the Scottish Government to consider any proposed changes they may want to make to Crown Estate Scotland, including, for example, changes to its existing borrowing powers or investment powers.

The management of the crown estate in Scotland is a devolved matter. In the first instance it is a matter for the Scottish Government to consider any proposed changes they may want to make to Crown Estate Scotland. There have been no discussions with the Scottish Government on this matter.

The UK Government was initially in contact with the Scottish Government, before the introduction of the bill, to confirm that no legislative consent motion was required. This is on the basis that the bill does not legislate on devolved matters and the management of the crown estate in Scotland is devolved.

British citizens and those settled in the UK are free to enter into a genuine relationship with whomever they choose. Foreign partners are able to come to the UK to be married or enter into a civil partnership through a visit visa, where they intend to return home, or a fiancé visa where they intend to go on to apply for permission to stay as a spouse or partner.

Unmarried partners, where the couple have been in a relationship similar to marriage or civil partnership for at least 2 years are able to apply for a permission to enter or stay in the UK as partner.

For those intending to establish their family life in the UK through the spouse, partner or fiancé routes, it is appropriate they should do so on a basis which is fair to the UK taxpayer and promotes integration with the wider community.

The government has announced the intention to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to conduct a review of the financial requirements of the family immigration rules and will take into account their recommendations.

The terms of individual leases will vary. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not gather data on the number of residential leases that contain terms which allow for proposed alterations in support of energy efficiency improvements.

Leaseholders can take various actions to save energy in their home. They may however need to apply for permission from their landlord (and in some cases other leaseholders) should they wish to make certain alterations or improvements which could include structural alterations. This will depend upon whether the terms of the lease allow for the proposed works to be carried out.

The Government remains committed to meeting its net zero emissions targets by 2050 and recognises the important contribution that the energy efficiency of buildings has to make in meeting it.

Reforms in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will make it easier and cheaper for more leaseholders to buy their freehold or take over the management of their building, if they wish to do so. This will provide them with greater control over their building to make alterations in support of energy efficiency improvements in accordance with the terms of the lease.

As part of the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), we are seeking views on new NPPF paragraph 112 a), which aims to set an expectation that local authorities adopt a vision-led approach to promoting sustainable transport when identifying sites in local plans and considering planning decisions.

The NPPF consultation will close on 24 September, and we will use the responses we receive to inform future steps. Details of the consultation and how to respond can be found at the following link.

This Government recognises the important role the Green Belt plays in preventing urban sprawl and remains committed to its continued protection. The manifesto was clear that without changing its purpose or general extent, the government will take a more strategic approach to Green Belt release to build more homes in the right places.

The Government’s proposed reforms relating to the Green Belt, and approach to implementation, are set out in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system. This consultation began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.