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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a target for the (a) number and (b) combined area of Marine Protected Areas.

The UK is committed to ensuring that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected protected areas. In England there is a comprehensive network of MPAs covering 40% of English waters. Defra’s focus is to ensure those areas are effectively conserved and managed.