Consultation Hub

The site lists consultations that are run by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. On this site you can find, share or take part in consultations. Public participation is very important to the development of our policies so please have your say.

Open Consultations

Closed Consultations

  • Ymgynghoriad ar ofynion cofrestru arfaethedig pob ceidwad adar ym Mhrydain Fawr

    Rydym yn ceisio eich barn ar ein cynlluniau i'w gwneud yn orfodol i bob ceidwad [1] dofednod [2] ac adar caeth eraill [3] gofrestru ei aderyn/adar gyda'r Asiantaeth Iechyd Anifeiliaid a Phlanhigion. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'n orfodol i berson sy’n geidwad 50 neu ragor o ddofednod mewn unrhyw...

    Closed 31 May 2023

  • Consultation on proposed registration requirements for all bird keepers in Great Britain

    We are seeking your views on our plans to make it compulsory for all poultry [1] and other captive bird [2] keepers [3] to register their bird(s) with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). It is currently mandatory for a person who is a keeper of 50 or more poultry at any single...

    Closed 31 May 2023

  • Consultation on Spatial Management Measures for Industrial Sandeel Fishing

    Sandeels are integral to the marine ecosystem of the North Sea. They are highly sensitive to changing environmental conditions and the increased effects of climate change can negatively impact the health of the North Sea sandeel stocks. This pressure combined with the continued removal of sandeels...

    Closed 30 May 2023

  • Formal Consultation, Lyme Bay Potential Management Measures for Sole Fishery

    The MMO is consulting on potential new management measures for the sole fishery in Lyme Bay. This is in response to feedback from some fishers in Lyme Bay who have experienced competition for space and gear conflict. Some fishers also report a reduction in the amount and size of sole caught. ...

    Closed 28 May 2023

  • UK Call for Comments on POPRC Evaluation Documents 2023

    The UK is a party to the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms and pose a risk to our health and the environment. There is a process for parties to propose a substance for listing in...

    Closed 22 May 2023

We Asked, You Said, We Did

Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes

We asked

Natural England consulted with national and local stakeholders with an interest in the SSSI official statistics, on the proposed change to the measurement used in the reporting of SSSI condition in England from a unit or area based to a whole feature based monitoring approach, between 7 December 2020 and 18 January 2021.

 

You said

A total of 53 responses were received. 17 respondents were in favour of the proposed change, 5 respondents were not in favour of the proposed change, 9 respondents were neutral. 14 respondents were in favour of the change to feature based monitoring but not in favour of the Least Favourable Condition option. 3 respondents were in favour of the Least Favourable approach option but not in favour of the change of the change to feature based monitoring. 5 respondents did not express a preference.  Of the 53 formal consultation submissions, 41 respondents stated that the proposed change would have implications for their use of the statistics, 10 respondents did not think the proposed change would have an impact on their use of the statistics, and 2 respondents submitted blank forms. Of the written consultation responses, the primary concern was whether the new approach would remove the ability for landowners to report the condition of their landholding and understand the necessary management measures needed to bring about condition change.

We did

Natural England reviewed the consultation responses and as a result have devised a mechanism to continue to report condition at both unit and feature scale. Natural England organised further discussions with stakeholders in 2021 and following pilots of the new approach in 2022. The discussions provided further opportunities for stakeholders to discuss these original concerns in order to agree solutions, develop ways of working in partnership and ensure smooth transition to feature based monitoring. Some of the key take home points were that once stakeholders understood the process of how whole feature assessment and reporting will work, they were content with how we propose to maintain the link with units and management advice. Maintaining the ability to report at unit level (until at least 2025) will enable stakeholders to report outcomes in relation to Management Plans.

Natural England also clarified how the  least favourable approach is only used to set the current feature condition baseline using unit condition data already in the system. The condition of units and features going forward will be determined using data captured in the field, available from others or from remote sensing.

We asked

The consultation focused on opinions on the sale of peat for horticultural use and whether this should continue or be restricted. We also asked whether there should be any exemptions and what these might be.

You said

The response was clear with over 95% of responses calling for a ban on the sale of peat. There was some valid concern in the responses for the use of peat in industry.

We did

The government in England is committed to banning the sale of peat and peat containing products by 2024.

We asked

Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Dearne Valley Wetlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 May 2021.

Consultations closed on 13 September 2021.

You said

Following consideration of representations and objections at its meeting on 19 January 2022, the Board of Natural England approved the confirmation of the notification of the Dearne Valley Wetlands SSSI with modifications to the description of the special interest (area figure amendment) and boundary map. Natural England consulted with owners, occupiers and interested parties on the notification of Dearne Valley Wetlands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 13 May 2021.

Consultations closed on 13 September 2021.

We did

Natural England confirmed Dearne Valley Wetlands SSSI under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on 4 February 2022.

In accordance with Natural England’s policy on freedom of information, details of the Board’s decision will be available on Natural England’s website in due course: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england/about/our-governance.

If you have any questions or require further information, please email ProtectedSites@naturalengland.org.uk.