Speeches by Creagh.

“I am not sure how clear I was. I am just lifting up my feet. NRF is about a strategic centralised approach; biodiversity net gain is basically about a much more localised approach. I hope that satisfies the Committee.”

“We have certainly disagreed—there have been moments of disagreement. I think we can both own up to that without too much—”

“That is a great question and one that I asked at the start of this process, because these policies are all new, so it is a question of how they interoperate. It is important to say that BNG is a separate and distinct policy to the nature restoration fund. It is globally pioneering, and it applies to most Town and Count…”

“Yes, how do we keep them? Some of that is about CPD, in my view. Some of it is about putting people on three-year or two-year courses and showing clear career progression.”

“What we have seen throughout the development—the gestation, if I can call it that—of the Bill is lots of cross-departmental working. That includes both myself and Minister Pennycook, but we have also been working with MOJ and of course with DESNZ, the Treasury and No. 10 to try to get it right. I have been sighted arou…”

“I do not think it is any secret that over the last 15 years, local government planning has been very much a Cinderella service. We are at a stage now, through the introduction of these new BNG and local nature recovery strategies, where we are in a learning process—local planning authorities certainly are. There is als…”

“We have a large-scale package of digital improvements across DEFRA group digital systems. That will also drive productivity gains across the different planning systems. We have new casework management systems, additional functionality and integration across government. That should improve the service user’s experience,…”

“I am Mary Creagh, the Minister for Nature.”

“In May this year, we announced £10 million of funding for local planning authorities to implement biodiversity net gain, which is on top of the £35 million that has been provided since the financial year 2021-22. This funding is being used for a wide range of uses, including employing ecologists or purchasing tech solu…”

“If I can come in on that, Chair—”

“It is also happening in Birmingham and other places as well.”

“I think the Mayor of London has some elements around embodied carbon in his London plan. I am afraid that I don’t know the details, and it is not my area, but the evidence I am hearing on the circular economy is that, instead of just knocking down buildings, we are now seeing developers deconstructing them, reusing the…”

“May I come in on this? I have things to offer the Committee that I hope are helpful. First, I am also the forestry Minister, and we have given deep thought to how we can use more timber in construction, subject to safety. We recently relaunched our timber in construction road map, which looks at timber’s potential for …”

“Also, we do not have a set format to record this information. It generally comes in and says whether our duties are engaged, and if so, how, but it is not in a standard format template, so we cannot just say, “Here is the thing. This is the advice,” because obviously—”

“It is part of the policymaking process. It is not routinely published, to enable a space for Ministers to receive and consider advice. We are obviously committed to very high standards of transparency, but there is no statutory requirement on us to publish it. It wouldn’t be routinely done.”

“May I come in? There are the five principles in the policy statement around environmental policy—the EPPS. That is provided to Ministers as part of routine advice. We, as Ministers, have been advised about our duties under the EPPS as this Bill has been developed and has gone through. With respect to the publication of…”

“I will reply and set out next steps. After the regulations enter into force in 21 days—after I lay and sign them—online marketplaces not already registered with a producer compliance scheme must do so by 15 November 2025. All online marketplaces will be required to submit the methodology that they will use for determin…”

“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment, etc.) Regulations 2025. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I rise to speak about an issue of growing urgency: the need to ensure that those who profit from the sale of electrical pr…”

“I am happy to write to the hon. Lady in great detail and at great length, but it is not something I can explain in 20 seconds.”

“We were delighted by the Supreme Court judgment on Dartmoor wild camping and we understand the calls to expand it. However, we have no plans to extend it, as it does need to be balanced with landowner rights and habitat protection.”