Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the stability of biodiversity in the Overseas Territories.

The Government is investing in the development of indicators to contribute to the provision of an evidence base for future biodiversity conservation efforts in the Overseas Territories (OTs). This includes reporting on species that are unique to the OTs and the status of protected areas in the OTs. The Government is also working closely with the OTs to develop a new shared Overseas Territories Biodiversity Strategy. The new strategy is being designed to benefit all OTs, providing a tool to guide and attract long-term investment in OT biodiversity, and highlighting the importance of building a stronger evidence base for biodiversity conservation efforts in the OTs.