What correspondence or meetings, if any, did the Minister have with councils about the contents of his Amendment Paper 710 to the Natural Environment Bill, prior to its introduction?

Answer

I met with and received correspondence from a range of stakeholders, including Councils, following the Environment Select Committee’s report back on the Natural Environment Bill, prior to making decisions on the changes made through Amendment Paper 710. To identify every item of correspondence from Councils or every meeting with Councils relating to matters covered in the Amendment Paper this information would take substantial effort and collation. In accordance with SR 210/6 I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering this question cannot be justified in this case