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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals in this Session to create a right of responsible access to the English countryside.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. That is why we have set out ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, expanding access to the great outdoors.

We have also announced plans to remove the 2031 cut-off date for the recording of historic rights of way to enhance public access to nature. This will ensure that the public can continue to use these routes for years to come, with the change being formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.