To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of implementation in the UK of the Biodiversity Action Plan. (309700)

We measure the effectiveness of implementation of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan through the UK Biodiversity Indicators. This was reported in the National Statistics publication ‘Biodiversity Indicators in Your Pocket 2007’, which was updated most recently in April 2009.

Overall, 23 (72 per cent.) of the 32 measures that comprise the UK Biodiversity Indicators are ‘improving’ or show ‘little or no overall change’ since the year 2000. In particular, 89 per cent. of Sites of Special Scientific Interest are in favourable or recovering condition, agri-environment schemes are leading to significant improvements, and people are spending a lot more time volunteering on biodiversity conservation projects.