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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has (a) evaluated the outcomes of the Invasive Species Management Fund and (b) considered (i) renewing the fund, (ii) establishing a successor scheme and (iii) providing (A) funding and (B) support for National Parks to lead invasive species control activity in their areas.

Over the last two years, Defra has funded twelve Local Action Groups (LAGs) across all regions in England to control invasive species through its Local Invasive Species Management Fund. The funding period has now come to an end and Defra is currently evaluating the outcomes of the fund. Whilst Government is unable to renew the fund or establish a successor scheme at this time, it is continuing to look for ways to support the control of widespread invasive species. For example, funding is available for invasive species control through the Environmental Land Management Countryside Stewardship scheme.

Government is providing £45.2 million of core funding to the 10 National Park Authorities. We have also extended programmes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL), providing £30 million to support projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026.  Funding is not ringfenced for invasive species control as National Park Authorities decide their priorities locally, but since the FiPL programme launched in 2021 it has funded actions to control invasive species on around 15,000ha of land managed in Protected Landscapes.