Written question asked by Desmond Swayne (Conservative) on Thursday, 3 July 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 July 2025 (named day). It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 July 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Grasslands: Conservation

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will add irreplaceable meadows to the list of irreplaceable habitats.

Answer: Irreplaceable habitat includes some of England’s most ecologically valuable habitats. The list of irreplaceable habitats in the biodiversity net gain regulations reflects the non-exhaustive list of examples of irreplaceable habitat in the National Planning Policy Framework. Given the breadth of habitats which could be considered irreplaceable the government plans in due course to review the definition of irreplaceable habitats to ensure it is robust and comprehensive to support decision makers.

Secondary information