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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to preserve verges and hedgerows as valuable reserves for wildlife.

This is a devolved matter.

Hedgerows and verges play an important role in conserving and enhancing biodiversity. Most countryside hedgerows are legally protected and land managers in receipt of Basic Payment Scheme payments are required to protect hedgerows on their land. Through our agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, we further recognise their valuable role by funding the management of hedgerows to deliver recognised benefits for wildlife, landscape and the historic environment.

Local authorities and other public bodies (including county, district and parish councils) in England and Wales have a statutory duty, under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, to consider the conservation of biodiversity in exercising their functions, including decisions on managing local roadside verges. Defra and the Welsh Assembly have issued guidance for local authorities and other public bodies on implementing their biodiversity duty.