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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

Please note:

All reference to 'Parts' and 'sections' are from the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. For other versions of these Explanatory Notes, see More Resources.

  1. Introduction

  2. Summary

  3. Background

  4. The Act

    1. Part 1: Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities

    2. Part 2: Nature conservation in the UK

    3. Part 3: Wildlife etc.

    4. Part 4: Sites of special scientific interest

    5. Part 5: National Parks and the Broads

    6. Part 6: Rights of way

    7. Part 7: Inland waterways

    8. Part 8: Flexible administrative arrangements

    9. Part 9: Miscellaneous

    10. Part 10: Final provisions

  5. Territorial Extent

  6. Commentary on Sections

    1. Part 1: Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities

      1. Chapter 1: Natural England

        1. Constitution and general purpose

          1. Section 1: Constitution

          2. Section 2: General purpose

        2. Advisory functions

          1. Section 3: Review and research

          2. Section 4: Advice

        3. General implementation powers

          1. Section 5: Carrying out proposals etc.

          2. Section 7: Management agreements

          3. Section 8: Experimental schemes

        4. Other functions

          1. Sections 9 and 10: Information, consultancy and training services etc.

          2. Section 11: Power to charge for services and licences

          3. Section 12: Power to bring criminal proceedings

          4. Section 13: Incidental powers

        5. Powers of Secretary of State

          1. Section 15: Guidance

          2. Section 16: Directions

      2. Chapter 2: Commission for Rural Communities

        1. The Commission and its general purpose

          1. Section 17: Commission for Rural Communities

          2. Section 18: Commission’s general purpose

        2. Functions

          1. Section 19: Representation, advice and monitoring

          2. Section 20: Research

          3. Section 21: Information services etc.

          4. Section 22: Power to charge for services

          5. Section 23: Incidental powers

        3. Powers of Secretary of State

          1. Section 24: Grants

          2. Section 25: Directions

      3. Chapter 3: Supplementary

        1. Transfer schemes etc.

          1. Section 26: Transfers on dissolution of English Nature and Countryside Agency

          2. Section 27: Continuing powers to make transfer schemes

          3. Section 29: Interim arrangements

    2. Part 2: Nature Conservation in the UK

      1. Joint Nature Conservation Committee etc.

        1. Section 31: Joint Nature Conservation Committee

        2. Section 32: UK conservation bodies

        3. Section 33: Purpose of functions under this Part

      2. Coordinated functions

        1. Section 34: Functions of national or international significance

        2. Section 35: Advice from joint committee to UK conservation body

        3. Section 36: GB functions with respect to wildlife

      3. Directions

        1. Section 38: Directions

    3. Part 3: Wildlife etc.

      1. Biodiversity

        1. Section 40: Duty to conserve biodiversity

        2. Section 41: Biodiversity lists and action (England)

        3. Section 42: Biodiversity lists and action (Wales)

      2. Pesticides harmful to wildlife

        1. Section 43: Possession of pesticides harmful to wildlife

        2. Section 44: Enforcement powers in connection with pesticides

        3. Section 45 Codes of Practice

        4. Section 46: Interpretation

      3. Protection of birds

        1. Section 47: Protection of nests of certain birds which re-use their nests

        2. Section 48: Birds released into the wild as part of a re-population programme

        3. Section 49: Registration etc. of certain captive birds

      4. Invasive non-native species

        1. Section 50: Sale etc. of invasive non-native species

        2. Section 51: Codes of practice in connection with invasive non-native species

      5. Enforcement etc of provisions relating to wildlife

        1. Section 52: Enforcement powers in connection with wildlife

    4. Part 1 of Schedule 5 - Amendments of the 1981 Act

      1. Police powers enhanced

      2. Wildlife inspector powers enhanced

    5. Part 2 of Schedule 5 – Enforcement of four other Acts

    6. Part 3 of Schedule 5 – Codes of Practice

    7. Part 4 of Schedule 5 – Constable’s search warrant power extended to certain other Acts

      1. Section 53: Wildlife offences: time limit for proceedings

      2. Section 54: Application of Part 1 of the 1981 Act to Crown

    8. Part 4: Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)

      1. Section 55: Offences in connection with SSSIs

      2. Section 56: Denotification

      3. Section 57: Effect of failure to serve certain notices

      4. Section 58: Notices and signs relating to SSSIs

    9. Part 5: National Parks and the Broads

      1. Section 59: Criteria for designating National Parks

      2. Section 60: Procedure for orders designating National Parks

      3. Section 61: Members of National Park authorities

      4. Section 62: Expenditure by National Park authorities

      5. Section 63: Notification of agricultural operations on moor and heath in National Parks

      6. Section 64: Functions of Broads Authority and others in relation to the Broads

      7. Section 65: Emergency financial assistance

    10. Part 6: Rights of way

      1. Section 66: Restriction on creation of new public rights of way

      2. Section 67: Ending of certain existing unrecorded public rights of way

      3. Section 66: Presumed dedication of restricted byways and use by pedal cycles etc.

      4. Section 67: Presumed dedication and applications under section 53(5) of the 1981 Act

      5. Section 70: Supplementary

      6. Section 71: Interpretation

      7. Section 72: Traffic regulation on byways etc. in National Parks in England and Wales

    11. Part 7: Inland Waterways

      1. Section 73: Inland Waterways Advisory Council

      2. Section 74: Constitution of Council

      3. Section 75: Term of office, procedure etc.

      4. Section 76:  Functions of Council: England and Wales

      5. Section 77: Functions of Council: Scotland

    12. Part 8: Flexible administrative arrangements

      1. Chapter 1: Agreements with designated bodies

        1. Powers to enter into agreements

          1. Section 78: Agreement between Secretary of State and designated body

          2. Section 79: Agreement between designated bodies

          3. Section 80: Designated bodies

          4. Section 81: Reserved functions

          5. Section 82: Maximum duration of agreement

          6. Section 83: Particular powers

          7. Section 84: Agreements with local authorities

          8. Section 85: Supplementary provisions with respect to agreements

      2. Chapter 2: Powers to reform agricultural etc. bodies

        1. Power to create boards

          1. Section 87: Power to establish boards

          2. Section 88: Permissible purposes of boards

          3. Section 89: Permissible function of boards

          4. Section 90: Ancillary provisions

        2. Power to dissolve existing levy bodies and boards

          1. Section 91: Power to dissolve existing levy bodies

          2. Section 92: Power to dissolve board

          3. Section 93: Dissolution: supplementary

        3. Powers of appropriate authority

          1. Section 94: Grants

          2. Section 95: Directions

      3. Chapter 3 Financial assistance

        1. Section 98: Financial assistance

    13. Part 9: Miscellaneous

      1. Section 99: Natural beauty in the countryside

      2. Section 100: Byelaws relating to land drainage

      3. Section 101: Abolition of certain agricultural etc. committees

    14. Part 10: Final Provisions

      1. Section 102: Crown land

      2. Section 103: Wales

      3. Section 104: Power to make further provision

      4. Section 105: Minor and consequential amendments etc.

      5. Section 108: Extent

  7. Territorial Application: Wales

  8. Commencement Date

  9. Hansard References

  • Explanatory Notes Table of contents

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Explanatory Notes

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