Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of expanding schemes to reintroduce beavers into the wild.

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

Yes, assessments of the potential merits of beaver reintroductions in England have been made.

Most notably, beginning in 2015, a 5-year trial for beaver wild release took place on the River Otter in Devon. In 2020, Natural England published assessment results for the trial. The trial was found to be successful, having brought many benefits to local ecology and communities, including creating wetland habitat and reducing downstream flood risk for housing.

Following successful completion of the trial, the Government conducted a public consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. In 2022, the Government published its response to this consultation. Work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions in England is continuing, including on wild release.