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

To ask His Majesty's Government what data they hold to support the conclusion in the impact assessment of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that the proposed environmental measures will have a positive economic and social impact.

The Nature Restoration Fund proposed in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would take a strategic approach to assessing environmental impacts and supporting nature recovery. This will reduce the need for costly project-level assessments while ensuring that every pound spent helps deliver our environmental goals as effectively as possible.

Through the Fund, developers will be able to discharge their environmental obligations at an earlier stage and through a simpler process, which will help to facilitate the earlier delivery of housing and other socially valuable development.

The impact assessment for the Bill contains the relevant data and sources that were used to support the conclusions in respect of the economic and social impact of the Nature Restoration Fund.