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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for participation at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference by (a) officials and (b) Ministers.

The third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in June, will be at a critical time for the ocean and a stocktake of progress towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.

The UK is supportive of an action-orientated UNOC and looks forward to the event. Defra is leading on the planning for UK attendance at the Conference and is considering along with other relevant departments appropriate official-level attendance in line with UK priorities for UNOC. Formal invitations from the co-hosts have been shared and Defra is considering appropriate Ministerial attendance.