Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the environmental condition of the Sites of Scientific Interest within the Somerset Levels and Moors being downgraded.
As the Government’s conservation advisory body, condition assessments of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are carried out by Natural England. Natural England’s assessment of the Somerset Levels and Moors SSSIs is based on the latest available evidence including monitoring and modelling work carried out by Wessex Water and agreed with the Environment Agency.
A full assessment of Natural England’s evaluation has been set out in their SSSI condition change briefing note. This was published in May 2021 and is attached here.