Peatland Restoration

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I thank the right reverend Prelate for his questions and for claiming that inherited responsibility. He is absolutely right about the importance of peatlands. They have been referred to as the UK’s rainforest. They store vast amounts of carbon, regulate water flow and support biodiversity. Restoration is currently funded through the national peatland grant scheme, which we have extended for an additional year, as I said. Following this, restoration will primarily be supported through environmental land management schemes such as Landscape Recovery and Countryside Stewardship, which are expected to bring at least 35,000 hectares of peatland into restoration by 2050. We expect that to happen under the most recent round of the Landscape Recovery scheme.

The Government regularly speak to a wide range of stakeholders including those involved in peatland restoration, such as wildlife trusts, national parks, the horticultural sector, landowners and farmers, as well as our partners in local, regional and other national Governments. By 2030, we will invest £85 million to restore and manage our peatlands, which will include support for water infrastructure, peatland restoration and the trials of farming on higher water tables.

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his reply to the right reverend Prelate and to the right reverend Prelate for referencing his diocese’s historic interests in the Norfolk Broads. I had the privilege of serving on the original Standing Committee to set up the Broads Authority. That was taken through, incidentally, by the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan. Is the Minister aware that the Broads Peat Partnership is doing a great deal of work to restore these habitats? Will he make sure that his department works with the Broads Authority carefully on this project? Is he satisfied that the Broads Authority is striking the right balance between commercial interests, such as boating and navigation, and protecting the natural environment?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

The noble Lord is right to single out the importance of the broads and the wider lowland agricultural peatlands. They are responsible for 88% of all emissions from England’s peatlands. We are working with all our partner organisations, including the Broads Authority, to support the restoration of peatlands, be they lowland or upland. Over the next four years, for the lowlands, Defra will fund water infrastructure facilitation grants and wetter farming trials, which will enable farmers and land managers to make changes to their water management and undertake more sustainable actions on peat. We will continue to work with them to ensure that they get that balance right between their more high-profile activities, such as supporting tourism, and that essential activity on lowland peatlands.