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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the cost to the public purse and (b) resources required to introduce the (a) strategic planning and (b) development management for the Biodiversity Net Gain regime in England.

The Government published an impact assessment for Biodiversity net gain and local nature recovery strategies last year, which includes an assessment of related costs and benefits.

The annual ongoing cost to local government of the biodiversity net gain regime and local natural recovery strategies is £9.5 million per year. For central government, the estimated ongoing costs are £1.8 million for Natural England, and £1.3 million for Defra with one-off capital costs of £0.5 million. We continue to work with local authorities and our agencies to quantify any additional costs to deliver biodiversity net gain, in addition to professional organisations to make sure there is access to the right training, ecological expertise and systems required.

We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to refine our estimates of cost and work towards a more comprehensive assessment of required resources.