The role of natural capital in the green economy [revived]

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 13 Nov 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee in the 2024 Parliament has revived the predecessor Committee's inquiry into the current and potential future role of natural capital in the green economy, and the Government’s proposals to increase private investment in measures to support nature recovery. Read the call for evidence for more information … Read more
19 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
4 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
16 Oct
2025
Correspondence
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
22 Jul
2025
Report published
22 Jul
2025
Correspondence
7 May
2025
Report published
18 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
18 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
4 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
4 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
18 Dec 2024
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1
Dr Will Lockhart OBE · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Helen Edmundson · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Mary Creagh CBE MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
4 Dec 2024
View on parliament.uk
EAC meeting
Alan Carter · The Land Trust Dr Heather Plumpton · Green Alliance Helen Avery · Green Finance Institute Judicaelle Hammond · Country Land and Business Association Kate McGavin · National Wealth Fund Rt Hon Philip Dunne · Environmental Audit Select Committee
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report – The role of natural capital in the UK's green econo… HC 501 7 May 2025 35 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
10 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Ensure fiscal policy provides incentives for natural capital while protecting food security.
The Government should keep under review the effect of its fiscal policy on the availability of land for natural capital investment. In particular, the effect of the inclusion of environmental improvement schemes within the scope of APR relief from April … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to monitor changes to agricultural property relief in the normal way but rejects the recommendation to report to the House by a specific deadline due to data lag and complexity.
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29 Recommendation Rejected
1st Report – The role of natural c…
Establish comprehensive, publicly accessible register of BNG assets, investors, and credit owners by February 2026.
We recommend that not later than 12 February 2026—the start of the next biodiversity net gain reporting year—the Government establish a comprehensive and publicly accessible register of: • the location of onsite and offsite assets being developed under statutory provision … Read more
Government Response
The government states that a publicly available register for off-site BNG already exists but explicitly rejects the recommendation to establish a comprehensive, publicly accessible register including on-site assets, investor identities, and credit owners by 12 February 2026, stating they have no plans to develop an on-site register.
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Government Response AI assessment · 35 of 19 classified
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 11
Deferred 5
Rejected 2
Total 19 recs + 16 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
16 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury relating to the environmental impacts of the Spending Review, dated 3 October 2025
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Under Secretary of State for Nature relating to the Role of Natural Capital in the Green Economy: Government Response, dated 27 August 2025
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to The Role of Natural Capital in The Green Economy: Government response, 22 July 2025
Parliament page
22 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, regarding the Government's response to the Committee's report on the role of natural capital in the green economy, dated 22 July 2025
Parliament page