All 1 Tracey Crouch contributions to the Environment Act 2021

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Wed 26th Feb 2020
Environment Bill
Commons Chamber

2nd reading & 2nd reading & 2nd reading: House of Commons & 2nd reading

Environment Bill

Tracey Crouch Excerpts
2nd reading & 2nd reading: House of Commons
Wednesday 26th February 2020

(4 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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George Eustice Portrait George Eustice
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My hon. Friend makes an important point. The Bill contains a number of measures relating to a biodiversity net gain. It includes, for instance, a provision on conservation covenants, which will enable a landowner entering into an agreement to plant woodland, for instance, to have a covenant on that land as part of an agreement that would prevent it from subsequently being scrapped.

Tracey Crouch Portrait Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) (Con)
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The breadth of this Bill and the level of scrutiny that its various versions have already faced are testament to its importance and the hard work of Ministers, colleagues across the House, officials and an enormous number of organisations, yet there are still opportunities to strengthen it. With that in mind, will my right hon. Friend confirm that he is open-minded to amendments that strengthen the Bill, particularly on biodiversity net gain? Some of us agree with Greener UK that that ought to be secured and maintained in perpetuity.

George Eustice Portrait George Eustice
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My hon. Friend will know that the Government are always open-minded to good amendments. However, she makes a valid point, which is that the Bill’s contents have already been extensively scrutinised. The Bill as presented before Second Reading has taken account of many different views.