Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 58
58
Accepted
Establish a national pathway with professional bodies to accelerate early-career ecologist training.
Recommendation
The Government should partner with professional bodies to accelerate the training of early-career ecologists through a national level, government- supported pathway, similar to that of the Pathways to Planning programme backed by the Local Government Association and MHCLG. The first iteration of this programme should be introduced by September 2027, at the very latest. (Recommendation, Paragraph 191)
Government Response Summary
The government states they are already expanding national routes into planning and related environmental roles and do not consider a separate, ecology-specific national pathway necessary at this time, but will keep this under review.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
107. The Government agrees that strengthening early career pathways is essential to ensuring the planning system has the expertise it needs. Through MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, we are already expanding national routes into planning and related environmental roles, supported by the £48 million additional investment announced at Budget 2025. 108. A key part of this expansion is the Pathways to Planning graduate scheme, delivered by the Local Government Association. Pathways are growing significantly and is already being broadened beyond local planning authorities to include statutory consultees and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects consenting teams, reflecting the wider skills needs of the system. Participating organizations also have flexibility to place graduates on accredited courses relevant to their specialist requirements, including ecology, ensuring the programme can support a wider range of skills. 109. Alongside this, we continue to support Public Practice, which recruits and transitions experienced built-environment professionals into local authorities. 110. We will continue to work with professional bodies and partners to ensure these national programmes respond to emerging skills needs in planning. Given the expansion and flexibility of existing routes, we do not consider a separate, ecology-specific national pathway necessary at this time, but we will keep this under review as the system evolves.