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Quinquennial Review of Species

Every five years, the country nature conservation bodies in Great Britain (Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, and NatureScot), working through JNCC, are required to review Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In a process called the Quinquennial Review (QQR), the inter-agency group makes recommendations to The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the devolved administrations in Great Britain for changes to the schedules.

A list of the species in these schedules is available in JNCC's spreadsheet of conservation designations.

The review is a collaborative process which identifies persecution of, or reckless damage to, a species at risk, and the benefits gained from subsequent listing under the Regulations. Schedule 5 lists animals (other than birds) which are specially protected, and Schedule 8 lists plants (vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and fungi) which are specially protected.

To date, there have been six reviews.  The 7th Quinquennial Review (QQR 7) is underway and commenced in April 2021.

QQR 7

The seventh QQR process (QQR 7) commenced in April 2021. For more information, visit the QQR 7 webpage.

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QQRs 1 to 6

The report and recommendations from the QQR Working Groups are submitted by JNCC to Defra and the devolved administrations in Great Britain. Once laid before the houses of parliament they are published on JNCC's website.  Decisions regarding any changes to be made to the schedules in response to the recommendations are made by the governments and implemented by Statutory Instrument.

 

The 6th QQR

Recommendations from the sixth QQR were submitted to Defra, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government in April 2014. The sixth QQR has been laid before the House of Commons and House of Lords. 

 

The 5th QQR

Recommendations from the fifth Quinquennial Review were approved by JNCC's Joint Committee and the advice was submitted to the Secretary of State for the Environment in December 2008, and copied to ministers in the devolved administrations.

The response to the fifth QQR by Defra and the Welsh Government is provided in the Government Response to 5th QQR.

 

The 4th QQR

Recommendations from the fourth Quinquennial Review were submitted by JNCC to Defra and Ministers in Scottish Government and Welsh Government in 2002.

This was the first review that needed to be submitted to ministers in the devolved administrations, following devolution of the UK in 1998.

 

The 3rd QQR

Recommendations from the third Quinquennial Review were submitted by JNCC to the Secretary of State for the Environment in 1996.

 

The 2nd QQR

Recommendations from the second Quinquennial Review were submitted by JNCC to the Secretary of State for the Environment in 1991.

 

The 1st QQR

Recommendations from the first Quinquennial Review were submitted by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) [now JNCC] to the Secretary of State for the Environment in 1986.

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