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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report released by the Wildlife and Countryside Link, published on 19 October 2022, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the conclusion that the UK may miss its nature pledge to protect 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030 unless the Government's plans to deregulate environmental protections are reversed.

We are committed to delivering our legally binding target to halt nature’s decline by 2030 and to all our international commitments and objectives for biodiversity, including our commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030 (30by30).

The United Kingdom is a world leader in environmental protection and in reviewing our retained EU law, we want to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes.

In the Nature Recovery Green Paper, HM Government set out initial proposals to reform the Habitat Regulations and outlined the approach to 30by30. We are reviewing responses and will consider any appropriate legislative vehicles or relevant powers to implement any confirmed proposals, including the Retained EU Law Bill. We are also now working at pace with Natural England, Joint Nature Conservation Committee and external experts and partners to develop the assessment criteria that will inform what land will count towards 30by30 and how it will be protected, managed and monitored.