Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the relationship will be between the biodiversity net gain rules and the future Nature Restoration Fund.

Last year the Environment Act introduced a new mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement of 10% for new developments, subject to some exceptions.

The Nature Restoration Fund will be in addition to BNG and will run concurrently, focusing on enabling development in areas where that has stalled due to specific environmental obligations relating to impacts on protected sites or species in those areas

We will ensure that developers receive a user-friendly experience and that BNG credit and the Nature Restoration Fund revenue is deployed in a joined-up manner to maximise environmental outcomes.