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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Wild release and management of beavers in England, published on 28 February 2025, whether he has plans to take steps to release beavers in Bedfordshire.

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

On 28 February 2025, Defra announced its new approach to beavers, including opening a licensing scheme for beaver wild release.

A licence is needed to release any beavers into the wild. Applications will be considered against comprehensive wild release criteria. These criteria have been designed to ensure only high-benefit, low-risk projects are licenced, and that beavers are reintroduced at a measured pace in a well-managed way. Any project proposing wild beaver reintroductions in Bedfordshire must therefore meet the criteria.