Moved by
The Earl of Caithness
18: After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause—
“Soil management strategy for England
Soil management strategy for England
(1) The Secretary of State must prepare a soil management strategy for England.
(2) The soil management strategy for England must set out Her Majesty’s Government’s objectives, priorities and policies for the sustainable management of soil in England during the period to which the strategy relates.
(3) That period must not be shorter than 10 years.
(4) The soil management strategy for England must include—
(a) a commitment to the long-term monitoring of soil quality and health,
(b) a definitive open access map identifying the different soil types,
(c) plans for the integration of soil management with environmental objectives such as climate mitigation, flood risk minimization and water quality measures and policies relating to food production, and
(d) targets for achieving the sustainable management of soil on Grade 1 and Grade 2 agricultural land (and other soils where necessary).
(5) The Secretary of State must publish—
(a) an annual statement on progress against the soil management strategy for England, and
(b) after a period of three years beginning on the day this Act is passed, a review of the effectiveness of the soil management strategy for England including any necessary revisions of the strategy.
(6) Before the end of the period to which the soil management strategy for England relates, the Secretary of State must prepare a new strategy for a new period that must not be shorter than 10 years.”