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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to help position the UK as a global leader in blue finance.

The UK has built its position as a leader in blue finance through policy engagement and our Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes. Through our portfolio of marine ODA programmes, Defra and FCDO work with a range of partners, including the UN, Multi-lateral Development Banks, not-for-profit partnerships and the private sector, to pilot and implement blue finance solutions that support sustainable blue economies.

The UK is committed to delivering a Sustainable Ocean Plan by 2027 as part of its active membership of the leader level High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. Placing nature, economic growth, and food security at its core, the Sustainable Ocean Plan will provide clear guidance for public and private sector decision-makers on how the UK can achieve 100% sustainable management of our seas and oceans.