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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the press release by the RSPB RSPB records peatland fires on grouse moors in supposedly protected areas, published on 9 March; and in particular the finding that 82 per cent of reported fires on what is believed to be peatland were on supposedly protected landscapes.

Anyone wishing to burn vegetation on deep peat (peat that is deeper than 40cms), within a Site of Special Scientific Interest and either a Special Area of Conservation or Special Protection Area needs a licence, granted by the Secretary of State.

We have published guidance to support the Regulations, which sets out the very limited circumstances where burning on deep peat will be seen as a permissible activity and a legitimate land management practice, conducted in the right place for the right reasons.

Where an organisation or member of the public believes that burning has been carried out illegally and notifies Natural England, its Enforcement Team will check the locations against records of protected sites and environmental data and carry out investigatory site visits as required. Supported by Defra, Natural England investigates cases where a breach of consent or regulation is suspected according to their published compliance and enforcement position.