Chilterns: Reviews
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential savings to the public purse from ending the Chilterns National Landscape Boundary Review project.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Natural England has the statutory responsibility for identifying areas for new or ex-tended National Landscape designations. Defra had provided £1.1 million RDEL a year from 22/23 to 24/25for Natural England to accelerate their National Landscapes pro-gramme and wider work on alternative approaches to statutory designations
Given the pressures on public finances, Defra has had to make difficult decisions about funding. It was not affordable to continue Defra funding to Natural England to continue the new National Landscapes designations programme in 25/26. As such, Natural England have made the decision to stop work on some of the planned programme – including the Chilterns boundary review. We have not made any assessment regarding potential savings relating to this specific decision.
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