Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Sarah Champion (Labour) on Monday, 15 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Monday, 22 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Beavers: Conservation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the establishment of a dedicated Beaver Mitigation Fund to support farmers in managing localised impacts such as flooding.

Answer

Support for living alongside beavers is provided through a rigorous risk assessment in the wild release licence application process and the existing management framework laid out in the 5-step beaver management approach. This is be backed up by support through local beaver management groups and Environmental Land Management actions and capital items.

Defra has committed to developing a long-term development plan for beavers in England to ensure we meet the challenges posed by an expanding beaver population. This work includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the support for living alongside beavers, especially in instances where damage is recorded.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
9571
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Conservation Finance Beavers
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk