Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent as part of the Blue Belt programme on each of the South Atlantic Marine Protected Areas; and what has been achieved through that funding so far.

The Blue Belt programme supports the UK Overseas Territories to enhance marine protection in their waters. Protection has now been put in place across more than 4 million km of ocean around the Overseas Territories. The programme has been supported by nearly £25m to date. Of this, around £3.7m has been spent specifically on St Helena, around £3m on Tristan da Cunha, and around £2.6m on Ascension. The programme has supported the three South Atlantic Overseas Territories to design and designate marine protection strategies for their waters, and to put the required legislation and management plans in place, with ongoing scientific monitoring and enforcement. Further details on the programme achievements can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/934959/Blue_Belt_Programme_2016_to_2020_programme_highlights_brochure.pdf