Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 9th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

In seeking to speed up progress, I look with enormous confidence to Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

8. What diplomatic steps he is taking to promote global ocean conservation.

[The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan Duncan)]

The Government are on track to meet their manifesto blue belt pledge. This will deliver marine protection across nearly 4 million sq km of the earth’s oceans and seas around our overseas territories by 2020. We are also working through the Commonwealth marine economies programme to enable small island Commonwealth states to conserve and use their maritime space sustainably.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

How will it be enforced?

[Sir Alan Duncan]

Very succinct, Mr Speaker! This is a wholly good news story. The BBC’s “Blue Planet” series has inspired millions of viewers, and we are putting that into practical effect. I can make it very clear to my right hon. Friend that we are working with our overseas territories to ensure that each of our marine protected areas is backed by robust legislation, effective monitoring and the very strong enforcement that he would wish to see.