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 make an assessment of the potential merits of including controlled burning for wildfire prevention as part of the definition of favourable conservation status for blanket bogs.

The 2025 Definition of Favourable Conservation Status for Blanket Bog describes conditions in which blanket bog thrives across its natural range. It states that both prescribed burning and wildfire can damage blanket peat hydrology. Fully functioning blanket bog is a self-sustaining climax habitat that requires no management intervention and is naturally resilient to wildfire. However, restoration measures may be needed on degraded sites to recover hydrological function. The Heather and Grass Management Code 2025 provides relevant guidance. The government recognises that prescribed burning may be necessary in limited circumstances, and managers can apply for a licence where wildfire risk is evidenced and no practical alternatives exist.