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 is funding UK-wide research into hedgehog ecology and conservation.

Natural England, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Forestry Commission have contributed to the first National Hedgehog Conservation Strategy. This strategy has identified several actions to facilitate and encourage data sharing on hedgehog ecology and conservation.

In addition, Natural England is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of practical conservation measures to address this challenge.