House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Fairer regulation of farming
04 March 2024 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Proposed by Steve Barclay Con North East Cambridgeshire
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The government will bring forward secondary legislation to protect hedgerows in England.
- Current protections for hedgerows will be maintained and enhanced through the new legislation.
- An advice-led approach will focus on fair and proportionate enforcement of hedgerow management rules.
Issue summary
The statement addresses the protection of hedgerows in England by bringing management rules into domestic legislation following a public consultation.
Action requested
The government will bring forward secondary legislation to protect hedgerows, maintaining current protections and focusing on fair and proportionate enforcement through an advice-led approach. This commitment is part of ongoing efforts to support sustainable management and protection of hedgerows in different contexts.
Key facts
- The consultation launched in June 2023 closed in September 2023.
- Over 90,000km of hedgerows exist with over 16,000 Countryside Stewardship and SFI agreements covering one or both sides.
- 8,841 responses were received to the consultation.