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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential merits of mandating swift bricks in new property developments.

Natural England has identified that the lack of nest sites is one of the pressures on species including the swift. Therefore, provision of swift bricks may aid recovery alongside other actions, such as to increase food resources. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published a revised National Planning Policy Framework in December. This expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support species like swifts, such as swift bricks.

Defra policy officials are continuing to work with MHCLG colleagues to consider what action may be appropriate to drive up rates of swift brick installation in new build properties.