Asked by: Andrew Cooper (Labour - Mid Cheshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the UK's role in international efforts towards turtle conservation.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through international agreements and fora, including the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the UK supports coordinated action to protect marine turtles throughout their range.
The UK’s Biodiversity Challenge Funds also support international turtle conservation by funding projects that protect turtle populations and habitats while supporting local communities. Examples include projects to strengthen turtle conservation capacity in Indonesia, plastic waste management on Diego Garcia and work to reduce illegal capture and killing of threatened turtles in Bangladesh. These projects help build local conservation expertise, improve species protection and support sustainable management of marine ecosystems.
Additionally, programmes such as the FCDO’s Blue Belt Programme, supports vital turtle conservation efforts in the UK Overseas Territories, including specific research projects on Ascension Island, home to one of the largest green turtle colonies on earth.
Asked by: Andrew Cooper (Labour - Mid Cheshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her department is taking to aid international conservation efforts supporting turtle populations.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through international agreements and fora, including the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the UK supports coordinated action to protect marine turtles throughout their range.
The UK’s Biodiversity Challenge Funds also support international turtle conservation by funding projects that protect turtle populations and habitats while supporting local communities. Examples include projects to strengthen turtle conservation capacity in Indonesia, plastic waste management on Diego Garcia and work to reduce illegal capture and killing of threatened turtles in Bangladesh. These projects help build local conservation expertise, improve species protection and support sustainable management of marine ecosystems.
Additionally, programmes such as the FCDO’s Blue Belt Programme, supports vital turtle conservation efforts in the UK Overseas Territories, including specific research projects on Ascension Island, home to one of the largest green turtle colonies on earth.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she is taking with international partners to enforce international legislation protecting endangered wildlife species.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The UK works closely with international partners to support the protection of endangered wildlife species at home and abroad through global agreements and cooperation mechanisms. We are an active Party to key multilateral environmental agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and Ramsar.
Through these frameworks, the UK supports effective implementation, works with partners to strengthen compliance, and contributes to collective action to address key threats, including habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade. We also support these efforts through international biodiversity funding programmes, such as the Darwin Initiative and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support protected areas and action to tackle illegal wildlife trade, including strengthening enforcement and legal frameworks.
Domestically, we implement these commitments through robust legislation and enforcement, including collaboration with international enforcement networks.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that police forces remain equipped with specialist local knowledge to tackle rural crime.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We recognise that theft of farming equipment and livestock can have a serious financial impact on victims, as well as wider effects on rural businesses and communities, which is why we are focused on preventing these crimes and improving the recovery of stolen property.
We are implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen vehicles and equipment and to support the police in identifying owners. The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new all-terrain vehicles and GPS units used in agricultural and commercial settings, with details recorded on a property database. This will provide an important tool to help the police identify stolen items and return them to their rightful owners.
In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce new powers for the police to enter and search premises where stolen items have been electronically tracked, supporting a more rapid recovery of stolen equipment and machinery.
Last financial year (FY25/26), the Home Office provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). We are continuing this funding of over ÂŁ800,000 throughout 2026/27 to help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.
These policing units play key roles in helping police across the UK target organised crime groups stealing farm equipment and to disrupt networks exploiting endangered species in the UK and abroad.
We have also worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to deliver the new Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy which has just recently been published. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including theft of farming machinery and livestock theft as priority areas of focus for policing.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support police forces to tackle (a) agricultural equipment theft and (b) other rural crimes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We recognise that theft of farming equipment and livestock can have a serious financial impact on victims, as well as wider effects on rural businesses and communities, which is why we are focused on preventing these crimes and improving the recovery of stolen property.
We are implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen vehicles and equipment and to support the police in identifying owners. The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new all-terrain vehicles and GPS units used in agricultural and commercial settings, with details recorded on a property database. This will provide an important tool to help the police identify stolen items and return them to their rightful owners.
In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce new powers for the police to enter and search premises where stolen items have been electronically tracked, supporting a more rapid recovery of stolen equipment and machinery.
Last financial year (FY25/26), the Home Office provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). We are continuing this funding of over ÂŁ800,000 throughout 2026/27 to help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.
These policing units play key roles in helping police across the UK target organised crime groups stealing farm equipment and to disrupt networks exploiting endangered species in the UK and abroad.
We have also worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to deliver the new Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy which has just recently been published. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including theft of farming machinery and livestock theft as priority areas of focus for policing.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support victims of rural crime with the cost of livestock and equipment theft.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We recognise that theft of farming equipment and livestock can have a serious financial impact on victims, as well as wider effects on rural businesses and communities, which is why we are focused on preventing these crimes and improving the recovery of stolen property.
We are implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen vehicles and equipment and to support the police in identifying owners. The Act’s secondary legislation will require forensic marking to be applied to new all-terrain vehicles and GPS units used in agricultural and commercial settings, with details recorded on a property database. This will provide an important tool to help the police identify stolen items and return them to their rightful owners.
In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill will introduce new powers for the police to enter and search premises where stolen items have been electronically tracked, supporting a more rapid recovery of stolen equipment and machinery.
Last financial year (FY25/26), the Home Office provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). We are continuing this funding of over ÂŁ800,000 throughout 2026/27 to help these specialist policing units tackle those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.
These policing units play key roles in helping police across the UK target organised crime groups stealing farm equipment and to disrupt networks exploiting endangered species in the UK and abroad.
We have also worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to deliver the new Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy which has just recently been published. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities, including theft of farming machinery and livestock theft as priority areas of focus for policing.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of supporting the Vantara wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in India within the framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The UK has not undertaken a specific assessment of support for this facility.
International trade in endangered species is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Decisions on imports and exports are taken by the relevant CITES Management Authorities in the importing and exporting countries, in accordance with the Convention’s requirements.
The UK works within CITES processes, including established compliance mechanisms and the Standing Committee, where Parties consider issues relating to implementation, compliance and, where necessary, appropriate follow‑up action.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which species of conservation concern will be covered by the forthcoming legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for a ban. Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) based on the level of threat that international trade poses to their conservation status.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many import permits were issued for hunting trophies between July 1, 2024 to May 31, 2026, for which species, and for what type of hunting trophy.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Between 1 July 2024 and 31 May 2026, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issued 33 import permits for hunting trophies under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
Trade data up to 2024 is available on the CITES Trade Database CITES Trade Database.
The species of the 33 import permits issued under purpose H (- Hunting Trophies) between 1 July 2024 and 31st May 2026 were as follows:
It is important to note that a single permit does not necessarily correspond to a single animal; in some cases, multiple CITES permits may be required for an individual animal.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the list of species the Department considers to be of conservation concern under the proposed legislation to ban imports of hunting trophies; and how the Department developed its criteria.
Answered by Mary Creagh
This Government is committed to delivering on its manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern. Defra is continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to help determine the most appropriate scope for a ban. Species of conservation concern are listed primarily on Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) based on the level of threat that international trade poses to their conservation status.