Oral Answers to Questions

Rebecca Harris Excerpts

Thursday 13th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The excitement in the Secretary of State’s life knows no bounds.

[Rebecca Harris (Castle Point) (Con)]

3. What progress the Government are making on putting in place a blue belt to protect marine habitats.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Andrea Leadsom)]

We have already designated 50 marine conservation zones, 99 special areas of conservation and 102 special protection areas within UK waters, so more than 17% of UK waters are now within marine protected areas. A third tranche of marine conservation zones will be designated in 2018, and I am proud to say that that will help to complete the blue belt around the English coastline.

[Rebecca Harris]

I thank the Secretary of State for her reply. As well as the important habitats and wildlife that we have in our domestic waters, including those in the Thames estuary, the oceans around some of our overseas territories are home to hundreds of remarkable species. What action, if any, are we taking to protect them as well?

[Andrea Leadsom]

My hon. Friend is quite right to raise those wonderful marine habitats. I am delighted to say that marine protected areas were declared around Pitcairn and St Helena in the past month, and work is in train to develop MPAs around Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, so the UK is set to double these protected areas to an area the size of India by 2020.