Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that (a) thistles and (b) ragwort are removed from land owned by her Department between the village of Mersham and the Sevington inland border facility.

The most appropriate weeding regime is being kept under review. The Department has undertaken the removal of weeds on previous occasions. The field is allocated for a biodiversity scheme, and we need to consider the impact of any weeding regime on the overall biodiversity including nesting birds. We will be working with an ecologist on the most appropriate actions.