Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to reform nutrient neutrality rules to meet her Department’s housing targets.

The Government is committed to finding a solution that unlocks the building of homes affected by nutrient neutrality without weakening environmental protections.

We will work with nature organisations, other stakeholders, and the sector to determine the best way forward and have already had initial conversations to that end.

We will only act in legislation where we can confirm to Parliament that the steps we are taking will deliver positive environmental outcomes.

If legislation is required for the purposes of enabling development to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will provide the necessary legislative underpinning to unlock that win-win outcome for the economy and for nature.