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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to the natural environment.

The Government recognises the vital role access to the natural environment plays in supporting people’s health and wellbeing and is committed to ensuring opportunities to enjoy the outdoors are both safe and appropriate. To this end, we have set out ambitious manifesto commitments, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, which will significantly expand access to the great outdoors.

Key initiatives are already underway to improve access to nature, including The King Charles III England Coast Path, which will be the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world, spanning approximately 2,700 miles. The project will also create 250,000 hectares of new open access land within the coastal margin.