To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessment they have undertaken on proposals to reintroduce beavers into England; what costs are involved; and what assessment they have made of the possible decline in the well-being of existing wildlife. [HL2399]

The results of a joint scientific study into the desirability and feasibility of reintroducing the European beaver to England were published on 18 March 2009 by Natural England and the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

The report considers the impacts that a beaver reintroduction might have and the conditions under which a reintroduction could be made. It concludes that the costs of mitigating damage caused by beavers are likely to be low relative to the economic benefits of the ecosystem services which they may provide, such as assisting with river and floodplain restoration. It identified the need for a full cost-benefit analysis as part of the planning stage of any beaver reintroduction programme. Reintroductions elsewhere in Europe may also provide valuable evidence on issues that need to be considered.

The report also includes an assessment of the likely impact of a reintroduction of beavers on British plants and animals, concluding that for all the taxa studied, including plants, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds and mammals, there are likely to be biodiversity gains, mainly arising from the creation of more diverse and naturally functioning habitats.

I will arrange for a copy of the report to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

Natural England has not made any decisions yet about whether reintroductions of beavers should take place in England. In considering whether to license a reintroduction programme we would expect Natural England to take account of the applicable International Union for Conservation of Nature guidelines, and to consider the views of interested parties. Natural England would also need to be satisfied that the reintroduction would not have a significant adverse impact on natural or semi-natural habitats, native wildlife or socio-economic interests and that measures could be put in place to deal with any unforeseen problems, should they occur.