To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of species which became extinct in England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. (303290)

We have not made an annual assessment of the total number of species that have become extinct in England in each of the last 10 years. In the 2008 UK Biodiversity Action Plan reporting round, seven priority species were reported as having been lost from England in the last 10 years. Natural England is currently carrying out a systematic review of species extinctions in England, which is due to be published in March 2010.