§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that rare wildlife in the UK is protected. [72528]
§ Mr. MeacherThe UK has a broad framework of measures to ensure that rare wildlife in the UK is protected. This includes legislative protection for certain species, where such protection is necessary to address the causes of population decline, as well as a range of wider environmental policies. Of particular importance is the UK's national response to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan was 287W published in 1995 and more recently a significant number of specific Action Plans have been finalised, including 436 biodiversity, 391 species and 45 habitat related action plans. These are targeted at the conservation needs of rare species and of habitats and are being implemented through broad partnerships of government, statutory conservation agencies and the voluntary sector. The Biodiversity Action Plans encourage positive actions for rare species at a range of scales, from national to local, and by a range of organisations. Monitoring will provide feedback on the efficacy of the implementation of the plans.