To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that new residential developments in rural constituencies such as North East Hampshire are required to provide residents with meaningful access to nature, green space and public rights of way; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that new residential developments in rural constituencies such as North East Hampshire are required to provide residents with meaningful access to nature, green space and public rights of way; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether guidance has been given to National Park Authorities on access to the countryside by ethnic minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether guidance has been given to National Park Authorities on access to the countryside by ethnic minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83666, how new permanent legal rights of public access will be created through the Government's proposals for nine new river walks and three new national forests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83666, how new permanent legal rights of public access will be created through the Government's proposals for nine new river walks and three new national forests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the Access to Nature Green Paper includes provisions for increased public access to unregulated inland waterways.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the Access to Nature Green Paper includes provisions for increased public access to unregulated inland waterways.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department if taking with local authorities to help improve access to nature in deprived communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department if taking with local authorities to help improve access to nature in deprived communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is working with local authorities to improve access to nature in deprived communities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is working with local authorities to improve access to nature in deprived communities.

National parks and natural landscapes provide huge benefits to people’s health and wellbeing, and to biodiversity and the economy. Can the Minister tell me what steps we can take through the next iteration of the national planning policy framework to ensure that the aforementioned benefits are not undermined when infrastructure projects must be progressed?

National parks and natural landscapes provide huge benefits to people’s health and wellbeing, and to biodiversity and the economy. Can the Minister tell me what steps we can take through the next iteration of the national planning policy framework to ensure that the aforementioned benefits are not undermined when infrastructure projects must be progressed?

We continue to target a win-win for both development and nature. I am more than happy to sit down with my hon. Friend to discuss how the NPPF contributes to that objective.

We continue to target a win-win for both development and nature. I am more than happy to sit down with my hon. Friend to discuss how the NPPF contributes to that objective.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 3 June (HL Deb col 839), by what date they intend to deliver the target of ensuring that everyone has access to green or blue spaces within a 15-minute walk of their home.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 3 June (HL Deb col 839), by what date they intend to deliver the target of ensuring that everyone has access to green or blue spaces within a 15-minute walk of their home.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for publication of the Green Paper on access to nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her planned timetable is for publication of the Green Paper on access to nature.

I thank my hon. Friend for all the work he did for us during his time in DEFRA. This Government are transforming access to nature in this country, delivering three new national forests and nine new national river walks, as well as launching the Wainwright coast-to-coast walk as a national trail in March. East Worthing and Shoreham is benefiting from this—it is home to a spectacular section of the recently launched King Charles III England coast path, which at 2,700 miles is the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world.

I thank my hon. Friend for all the work he did for us during his time in DEFRA. This Government are transforming access to nature in this country, delivering three new national forests and nine new national river walks, as well as launching the Wainwright coast-to-coast walk as a national trail in March. East Worthing and Shoreham is benefiting from this—it is home to a spectacular section of the recently launched King Charles III England coast path, which at 2,700 miles is the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world.

I thank the Minister for her answer and her kind words. The recently inaugurated King Charles III England coast path winds its way through my constituency, passing Lancing’s wonderful Widewater lagoon nature reserve, which I worked with the community—including the World of Widewater committee—to save when it was drying up last summer. Can the Minister set out what health and tourism benefits the newly inaugurated path will bring to coastal communities such as mine?

I thank the Minister for her answer and her kind words. The recently inaugurated King Charles III England coast path winds its way through my constituency, passing Lancing’s wonderful Widewater lagoon nature reserve, which I worked with the community—including the World of Widewater committee—to save when it was drying up last summer. Can the Minister set out what health and tourism benefits the newly inaugurated path will bring to coastal communities such as mine?

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he did on the protection of Widewater lagoon—holding the water on the land when it is raining and ensuring that it is there during very dry spells is one of the challenges we face. The coastal path will boost everybody’s mental and physical health, and will bring significant opportunity to his businesses in Worthing. We know that visitors to England’s coastal paths already generate £350 million in spending in local coastal economies each year and support nearly 6,000 jobs.

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he did on the protection of Widewater lagoon—holding the water on the land when it is raining and ensuring that it is there during very dry spells is one of the challenges we face. The coastal path will boost everybody’s mental and physical health, and will bring significant opportunity to his businesses in Worthing. We know that visitors to England’s coastal paths already generate £350 million in spending in local coastal economies each year and support nearly 6,000 jobs.

Earlier this year, children from Pannal primary school went to their forest school in Sandy Bank woods, only to find that the path was cordoned off and trees had been felled. What steps is the Minister taking with her colleagues in the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure primary schools have access to forest schools all year round?

Earlier this year, children from Pannal primary school went to their forest school in Sandy Bank woods, only to find that the path was cordoned off and trees had been felled. What steps is the Minister taking with her colleagues in the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure primary schools have access to forest schools all year round?

I am very happy to look into the case that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. It depends on the ownership of the land—sometimes there is legitimate tree felling that has to be done at a certain time of year, normally before the bird nesting season—but if he gets in touch with me, I would be happy to look into that issue.

I am very happy to look into the case that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned. It depends on the ownership of the land—sometimes there is legitimate tree felling that has to be done at a certain time of year, normally before the bird nesting season—but if he gets in touch with me, I would be happy to look into that issue.

What steps she is taking to improve access to nature.

What steps she is taking to improve access to nature.

The Secretary of State may know that I am a passionate white water kayaker and a firm believer in the healing power of time spent in, on and around water. England and Wales have some of the most restrictive rights of access anywhere in the world; less than 4% of inland waterways have an uncontested public right of navigation. Can the Secretary of State say a bit more about when her Department will bring forward the Green Paper on access to nature?

The Secretary of State may know that I am a passionate white water kayaker and a firm believer in the healing power of time spent in, on and around water. England and Wales have some of the most restrictive rights of access anywhere in the world; less than 4% of inland waterways have an uncontested public right of navigation. Can the Secretary of State say a bit more about when her Department will bring forward the Green Paper on access to nature?

I was aware of my hon. Friend’s love of kayaking. I am not a kayaker, but I am passionate about improving people’s access to nature. Earlier this year I was with the King when we opened the King Charles III coastal path, and last month we launched the first national river walk. As my hon. Friend says, we are also committed to publishing an access to nature Green Paper soon.

I was aware of my hon. Friend’s love of kayaking. I am not a kayaker, but I am passionate about improving people’s access to nature. Earlier this year I was with the King when we opened the King Charles III coastal path, and last month we launched the first national river walk. As my hon. Friend says, we are also committed to publishing an access to nature Green Paper soon.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish an access to nature Green Paper.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish an access to nature Green Paper.