Written Question·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·UIN 79911

Environment Protection: Crime

Tabled: 10 October 2025
Answered: 17 October 2025

Question

Euan Stainbank

LabourFalkirk

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make ecocide a criminal offence.

Answer

Mary Creagh
The UK has strong laws in place to protect the environment. Contravention of many of these is a criminal offence. Convictions are sought to punish significant or persistent environmental offending.