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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure compliance with the European Commission's infraction procedure relating to the EU Habitats Directive on the protection and management of blanket bogs in northern England Special Areas of Conservation.

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.