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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) title of, (b) name of contractors used for, (c) budget of and (d) location on her Department's website of each survey of earthworm populations and diversity in arable soils in England carried out by her Department is since 1996.

Defra has not carried out any surveys of earthworm populations and diversity specifically in arable soils.

Defra carries out research on earthworms as part of a wider programme of research on sustainable land management because of their important role in developing soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics, and plant growth.