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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the finding in the State of Nature 2016 report that 56 per cent of assessed species are in decline, what measures they are taking to support the Greater Manchester Urban Pioneer project under the 25-year Environment Plan to improve the status of nature in the city; and what resources they are allocating to that project.

The Greater Manchester Urban Pioneer is one of four pioneer projects created by Defra to inform the development and implementation of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. The pioneers are partnership projects designed to test and refine better ways of managing the environment.

The Greater Manchester Pioneer is being led by the Environment Agency with support from the Defra 25 Year Environment Plan team. Local government and relevant government agencies are also providing resources as key pioneer partners. Increasing biodiversity across Greater Manchester is one of the objectives of this pioneer.