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

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been made under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) in each year since the enactment of the regulation; how many breaches of the regulations have been identified and prosecuted; and what assessment has been made of the area of land where changes have been made to land use without permission.

Screening applications received 2006–2021 = 3227

Screening applications rejected 2006–2021 = 251

Screening applications withdrawn 2006–2021 = 77

Screening application decisions issued 2006-2021 = 2899

Consent applications received 2006–2021 = 13

Breaches of the regulations 2006–2021 = 63

During the period 2006–2021 in total there were 63 enforcement cases, covering over 362 hectares of land. Natural England (NE) has issued 17 restoration notices and accepted 32 voluntary enforcement undertakings to remediate and make good the environmental damage caused to over 270 hectares of land by breach of the Regulations. Warning letters highlighting technical or minor breaches, when serving civil sanctions would be disproportionate, were issued to offenders for breaches to raise awareness of the legislation and achieve future compliance.

Two prosecutions relating to breaches of the regulations have been successfully brought:

• Devon (June 2021) – relating to damage to Mesolithic and Neolithic historic environment features. The land manager was successfully prosecuted for failing to comply with a Stop Notice requiring the cessation of damaging works and was fined £7,500 and costs of £24,000.

• Cumbria (March 2014) - relating to damage to semi-natural lowland grassland. The landowner was successfully prosecuted for failing to comply with remediation notice to remove artificial drainage pipes and was fined £2,500 and costs of £10,000 plus £250 victim surcharge.

No assessment has been made, by NE, of the area of land where changes have been made to land use without permission.