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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to incorporate a strategy on encouraging (a) public green spaces, (b) front gardens and (c) other private green spaces into the National Pollinator Strategy.

Protecting our pollinators is a priority for this Government. They are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production.

Our National Pollinator Strategy sets out comprehensive measures to support pollinators and identifies actions for everyone, be they land managers, councils, or window-box gardeners, to do their bit.

The “Bees’ Needs” campaign (www.beesneeds.org.uk) is included in the Strategy and explains what action can be taken to provide food, shelter and nest sites for pollinators. It contains a series of information sheets providing practical advice to local authorities, businesses and gardeners about managing urban or industrial green spaces and gardens for bees and other pollinators.