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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the burning of (a) blanket bog and (b) the peat soils that blanket bog depends on.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government is committed to ceasing rotational burning on blanket bog on European sites. Natural England has been working with landowners/managers to enter into voluntary agreements to cease rotational burning, and surrender extant consents to burn. The Government will set out its further plans to restore and protect peat in the England Peat Strategy.