The Government recognises the importance of working collaboratively across the UK to support tree planting and ensure the long-term survival of our woodlands to safeguard their benefits for future generations. In 2024 we established the Tree Planting Taskforce which brings together ministers from across the four UK nations, to support and coordinate our work on trees.

The majority of tree felling in the UK is controlled through the issuing of felling licences issued by the Forestry Commission and the Devolved Administrations. These may be conditional, which include a requirement to replace the trees through replanting or regeneration, or unconditional where felling is approved without the requirement to replant.

Forest Research publishes statistics for Great Britain on the area of private sector woodland across Great Britain covered by unconditional felling licences in Forestry Statistics. Additionally, the Forestry Commission publishes statistics in the Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators - GOV.UK on the total area of unconditional and conditional felling licences issued in England. These statistics are reported annually for each financial year in hectares.

Yes. This government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy.

The Government convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help map that transition; in the new year we will publish a Circular Economy Growth Plan that sets out how government will deliver a more circular and more prosperous economy.

The Government will maintain this collaborative approach as the Circular Economy Growth Plan is finalised, with further joint working and mutual learning scheduled to ensure coherence across the United Kingdom.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Devolved Administrations on a coordinated approach to monitor curlew populations.

The UK curlew population is monitored under the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), an annual monitoring scheme jointly funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, BTO and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Population trends for curlew are generated at UK, country and regional levels and shared publicly in an annual report.

Defra officials continue to engage with their counterparts in the devolved authorities on matters including the movement of waste. I recently met with Gillian Martain MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy in the Scottish Government to discuss reports suggesting waste sent to landfill in Scotland may be diverted to landfill in England.

There are no additional controls on the movement of waste between England and the devolved nations, to those that apply to movements within the individual nations. In England and Wales, waste must be managed in accordance with the Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice. Similar Codes of Practice apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Waste can only be transferred to a site that has the appropriate authorisation (eg. permit or exemption) to receive, treat or dispose of the waste.

Data on UK-wide curlew ecology and population health is primarily gathered and shared through the British Bird Survey (BBS) and the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) review.

The BBS is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common and widespread breeding birds to include the curlew. This publication presents trends for breeding bird populations in the UK and for each UK country, showing change in population between 1994 and 2024. UK and country-level trends are also reported for more recent shorter time periods (1-year, 5-year, and 10-year).

The BoCC review is compiled by a coalition of the UK’s leading bird conservation and monitoring organisations and reviews the status of all regularly occurring birds in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. The bird species that breed or overwinter, to include the curlew, have been assessed against a set of objective criteria and placed on the Green, Amber or Red lists to indicate an increasing level of conservation concern. Curlew is red-listed in the latest BoCC.

As responsibility for the conservation of habitats is a devolved matter Defra continues to be guided by co-ordination and expert advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the UK wide Statutory adviser on Nature. The primary mechanism for assessing the state of change to species rich grasslands across the UK is through reporting obligations under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and related regulations covering Scotland and NI. The next round of reporting under this legislation is currently being undertaken by each country due for publication in 2026. JNCC are providing the co-ordination to maintain sufficient consistency in each country report to facilitate cross UK integration and comparison, enabling the countries to gain insight on effectiveness of country level policies. The previous report (2019) is available through the JNCC website.

We have not held discussions with the devolved Governments about protecting mountain hare populations.

We have not held discussions with the devolved Governments about measures to protect otter populations.

Planning is a devolved matter. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied, including policy on the protection of irreplaceable habitat.

Defra enables and facilitates effective species reintroduction programmes through its arms-length bodies.

Regarding (a), Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and NatureScot meet quarterly to discuss species reintroductions. The England Species Reintroduction Taskforce and the National Species Reintroduction Forum (for Scotland) collaborate informally, with representatives attending each other's meetings to improve knowledge exchange. The Taskforce is beginning a formal collaboration with NatureScot on two key projects: developing a database for UK species reintroduction projects and developing a framework and guidance for conservation introduction.

Regarding (b), Natural England has a key role in advising partners including conservation organisations on species reintroductions, including as formal partners and funding some projects through the Species Recovery Programme. Natural England advice ranges from ensuring the Reintroductions Code is being followed to bringing stakeholders together to discuss individual projects. Forestry England works in partnership with conservation organisations to deliver nature recovery projects – including species reintroductions - in the nation’s forests.

Regarding (c), a requirement of the Code is to undertake effective engagement and consultation with stakeholders. This includes encouraging projects to engage with local communities to help create mutual understanding, offer a sense of shared purpose and benefits, and reduce the risk of future conflicts.

Yes, Natural England engages with devolved administrations through the national pine marten networking group. This group meets quarterly, and discussions include topics such as monitoring European pine marten populations.

The Secretary of State regularly meets colleagues in the Devolved Governments through the Interministerial Group. No specific discussions on sustainable red deer management have taken place.

Chief Veterinary Officers from all four devolved administrations of the United Kingdom, along with policy officials, meet routinely to discuss shared priorities. This includes the TB Liaison Group, which provides a platform for coordination and updates on policy developments. This includes sharing data on badger population health, particularly in relation to TB.

Yes, Defra works collaboratively with devolved administrations on efforts to halt hedgehog decline.

In 2024, Britain’s first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy was published. The strategy highlights the factors causing a decline in our native hedgehog populations, and is supported by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and NatureScot.

In addition, Natural England is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will also produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.

Chief Veterinary Officers from all four devolved administrations of the United Kingdom, along with policy officials, meet routinely to discuss shared priorities. This includes the TB Liaison Group, which provides a platform for coordination and updates on policy developments, such as monitoring badger populations. The latest badger population survey began in England in February 2025, and findings from such initiatives will be shared across administrations.

The UK Squirrel Accord, to which Defra, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission are signatories, is working to better understand the appropriate strategies for conserving the red squirrel. This work includes identifying, protecting, and strengthening existing red squirrel populations, expanding their current range, and promoting better understanding and support for their conservation. Future conservation actions will be informed by this work.

Defra also continues to support the development of novel control methods for grey squirrel such as the fertility control research led by APHA and the UK Squirrel Accord.

The UK Squirrel Accord, to which Defra is a signatory, is working to better understand the appropriate strategies for conserving the red squirrel. The Accord is UK-wide, and signatories include Scottish Government, Natural England, Forestry England as well as other nature conservation organisations.

This work includes identifying, protecting, and strengthening existing red squirrel populations, expanding their current range, and promoting better understanding and support for their conservation. Future conservation actions will be informed by this work.

We have not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding the conservation of red squirrels specifically in the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency.

The Government continues to work and engage proactively with the UK Squirrel Accord, which plays an important role in bringing stakeholders and governments across the UK together towards conserving our iconic native red squirrel species.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Defra has not taken steps on cross-border co-ordination or strategic support for reintroductions between England and the devolved administrations, including mid-Wales and the Welsh Marches.

All reintroductions in England are expected to follow the Code for Reintroductions and other Conversations Translocations. The Code states that, while it is specific to England, cross-border co-operation and engagement with relevant authorities and stakeholders is essential where releases occur close to England’s neighbours or involve a reintroduction of a species to Great Britain. We would therefore expect any reintroduction project to carry out cross-border coordination as part of the planning phase of their reintroduction project.

On strategic support for ecological corridors, delivering the Environment Act habitat target will create more ecologically functional, better-connected habitats. Creating and restoring wildlife-rich habitat can help improve habitat connectivity to support larger and more resilient species populations, especially in the context of a changing climate.

The Four Countries’ Biodiversity Group (4CBG) provides a forum to take forward substantive and policy-development issues relating to biodiversity common to all four countries.

Defra is working with the Devolved Administrations on future amends to the Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, including the management of binned waste and litter within this scheme.