Written Question·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·UIN 106307
Peatlands
Tabled: 16 January 2026
Answered: 23 January 2026
Question
Sammy Wilson
Democratic Unionist Party — East Antrim
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment she has made of wildfire risks under (a) prescribed burning, (b) mechanical cutting and (c) no active vegetation management.
Answer
Mary CreaghHealthy peatlands do not require active vegetation management such as burning or cutting. There is clear scientific evidence that burning is particularly damaging, as it degrades peatland conditions, undermines restoration and increases long-term vulnerab...
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