Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reintroducing wolves into the UK; whether his Department has any plans to support the reintroduction of such animals; and if he will make a statement.

The reintroduction of species is a devolved issue. The government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing wolves in England and is not aware of any proposals to re-introduce them.

Natural England considers any application for reintroductions in accordance with international guidelines including taking account of socio-economic and environmental impacts as well as the impacts on the animals themselves.