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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made contingency plans in case there are no appropriate and approved conservation covenant responsible bodies in time for the implementation of biodiversity net gain in November.

Guidance for any organisations considering applying to become a conservation covenant responsible body will be published and the application process launched as soon as possible, in readiness for the implementation of biodiversity net gain (BNG).

Land for BNG can already be secured via standard planning obligations such as s106.