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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what compensation they provide, if any, to commoners when Natural England make a decision that curtails economic activity on a common on the basis that it contains a site of special scientific interest.

Natural England must notify all owners and occupiers where it considers an area to be of special interest (notification of Sites of Special Scientific Interest – SSSIs). This will usually follow informal discussion, including discussion about management. Consensus between regulators, land managers, users and other stakeholders is generally required to deliver positive conservation outcomes for SSSIs. Countryside Stewardship currently provides the principal mechanism to help private land managers meet the cost of any positive management needed to restore SSSIs to, or maintain them in, favourable condition.