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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future work and responsibilities of Local Nature Partnerships.

I would like to thank all of those involved in Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs) for their ongoing work to date; it is hugely valuable. I am pleased to note that LNPs are, in most areas, playing a key role in the development of Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs). It is also pleasing to see that some LNPs have formed, or reformed, for the purpose of contributing to the LNRS for their area (for example in Wiltshire).

This puts LNPs in a strong position to take an active role in delivery of the LNRSs when they are published. The Government is supportive of this and views partnership working as essential to their delivery, building on the momentum generated by responsible authorities in preparing LNRSs. The exact role of the LNP will vary from area to area, as LNPs are configured according to local circumstances.

LNPs have a track record of addressing other local concerns beyond the scope of the LNRS and I would encourage them to continue to do so.