I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 22119 on 16 January 2025.

The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs (2022) report found populations declined by 30–75% in rural areas since 2000, although urban populations may now be stabilising following long declines.

This Government has supported Essex County Council to develop the Essex Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). This has brought local authorities, communities, landowners and conservation groups together to agree priorities to help nature recover and support locally and nationally important species. Hedgehogs are a priority species in the Essex LNRS, and the strategy maps specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement to benefit hedgehogs.

More broadly, measures such as Countryside Stewardship, the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Biodiversity Net Gain support the creation, restoration and connectivity of habitats, including hedgerows and field margins, which are important for hedgehogs.

Nationally, Natural England is supporting the National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy and co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme, which will improve understanding of population trends and the factors driving decline.

This Government has supported Essex County Council to develop the Essex Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). This has brought local authorities, communities, landowners and conservation groups together to agree priorities to help nature recover and support locally and nationally important species. Hedgehogs are a priority species in the Essex LNRS, and the strategy maps specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement to benefit hedgehogs.

The Department has made no such assessment. Local authorities are responsible for the installation of the small wild animal road signs.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are being prepared by responsible authorities to agree on priorities that help nature recover and support species of local and national importance. Responsible authorities are required to consider national environmental objectives when preparing their LNRS, including the target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030. The West Midlands LNRS was published recently and maps specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement to support species such as hedgehogs.

Nationally, Natural England is supporting the National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy and the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. Information gathered from these projects will provide insights into the factors contributing to hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.

48 responsible authorities were appointed by Defra to prepare Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for their area. Under Hertfordshire County Council’s draft LNRS, the hedgehog is designated as a ‘Flagship Species’ which is set to benefit from identified local actions to recover their habitat, thereby aiding their conservation.

Nationally, Natural England is supporting the National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy and the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered from these projects will produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) demonstrates strong local commitment to hedgehog conservation. Following online public consultation, where hedgehogs emerged as one of the most frequently mentioned priority species, the draft LNRS includes specific actions to support hedgehog recovery. These targeted measures include creating suitable feeding habitats, encouraging property owners to leave gaps in fencing to improve garden connectivity, and building hibernacula to provide essential winter shelter.

Nationally, there are several projects underway which will enable the conservation of our hedgehogs. The first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy has been published by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Natural England (NE), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Forestry England all contributed to the strategy, which highlights the factors causing a decline in native hedgehog populations. In addition, NE 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.

These hedgehog-specific initiatives complement broader environmental improvements in Lincolnshire, including the designation of the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve - the first in the new King's Series. Such landscape-scale conservation efforts create the connected habitats that hedgehogs and other wildlife need to thrive.

Government-led action is focused on addressing the main known drivers of hedgehog decline including habitat loss and fragmentation due to removal of field margins, hedgerows and scrub; the use of herbicides and insecticide; and road traffic.

The Environment Act 2021 introduced several policies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities, which will work together to support the creation and restoration of habitats which will support a range of species including hedgehogs and their prey species.

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

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.

In 2024 the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy was published with contributions from Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission. The strategy, which has identified several actions to facilitate and encourage data sharing on hedgehog populations, involves collaboration with stakeholders to include leading conservation NGOs, academics, and organisations within the transport and farming sectors.

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

Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission have contributed to the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy. This strategy has identified several actions to facilitate and encourage data sharing on hedgehog ecology and conservation.

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

This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Scottish Government.

As hedgehogs are widespread but scarce, there are practical challenges in estimating their number nationally. In the last 10 years, only one estimate, updated in 2024, has been made which indicated a population size estimate of 597,000 hedgehogs in England. However, confidence in the accuracy of this estimate is low.

Natural England is supporting the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme, in partnership with the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, to provide a more robust national estimate of Britain’s hedgehog population. The pilot is due to be completed in May 2026.

While we are not carrying out any specific public awareness campaigns in Surrey Heath, the Government welcomes public awareness campaigns, such as Project Amazing Grace, which promote actions that support the recovery and conservation of hedgehogs.

The Department authorised the use of the small wild animal sign in December 2023, giving local authorities permission to place the sign without reference to the Department. Prior to this none of these signs had been authorised. The Department does not hold information on how many signs are installed by local authorities.

There are no plans to encourage local authorities to install these signs, it is entirely a matter for local authorities to decide upon.

The Department authorised the use of the small wild animal sign in December 2023, giving local authorities permission to place the sign without reference to the Department. Prior to this none of these signs had been authorised. The Department does not hold information on how many signs are installed by local authorities.

There are no plans to encourage local authorities to install these signs, it is entirely a matter for local authorities to decide upon.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.

Hedgehog highways are identified in the National Model Design Code and Planning Practice Guidance as a feature to enable movement between development sites, and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework sets out how development can incorporate a range of nature friendly features including bricks with a hole which can benefit sparrows, tree sparrows, swifts, starling, and bats.

The Government has no plans to provide additional legal protection to the hedgehog in England. While we are concerned about hedgehogs, there is no evidence to suggest legal protection will address the main causes of decline namely habitat loss, pesticide use and road traffic accidents.

However, the Government remains committed to restoring nature and we have wasted no time in announcing a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan to deliver on our legally binding environment targets, including reversing declines in our native species, such as hedgehog.

Measures such as Countryside Stewardship, Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme, Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery Strategies will drive the creation and restoration of habitats, particularly hedgerows, that will benefit the conservation and recovery of hedgehogs as well as a range of other species.