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 make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting Controlled Environment Facilities from Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

Following consultation in 2022, exemptions to the biodiversity net gain requirement set out within the regulations are narrow and focussed. This keeps the policy ambitious, whilst being proportionate and deliverable for developers and local authorities.

My officials engage widely with stakeholders involved in delivering biodiversity net gain to increase our understanding of overall implementation. We will continue to engage with the horticulture sector and others, with evidence from industry to substantiate any suggested improvements to the requirement being crucial.