Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration she gave to including the National Fire Chiefs Council’s advice on the restrictions in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Am
Answer
NFCC submitted a formal response to the consultation on the 2025 burning regulations and this was considered, alongside a range of responses, as part of the development of the regulations. Officials and the Minister engaged with NFCC following their response.
Verdict: RED (22/100)
The question asked whether the National Fire Chiefs Council's (NFCC) advice on the restrictions was considered for inclusion in the Explanatory Memorandum. The reply confirms that NFCC's consultation response was considered alongside other responses and that officials and the Minister engaged with NFCC. It does not say whether the NFCC's advice on the restrictions was considered for the Explanatory Memorandum, and the answer stays general throughout, so the person who asked would likely need to submit a follow-up question.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What consideration the Secretary of State gave to including the National Fire Chiefs Council's advice on the restrictions in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) (Amendment) Regulations. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply confirms that NFCC's consultation response was considered alongside other responses and that officials and the Minister engaged with NFCC, but it never addresses whether NFCC's advice on the restrictions was considered for inclusion in the Explanatory Memorandum, which is the specific point asked. It substitutes general consideration of the consultation response for the EM-specific question. |