Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 1
1
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
Conclusion
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency, and Natural England.1
Government Response
Response Pending
HM Government
Response Pending
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Committee’s concerns about the effectiveness, coherence and resourcing of environmental regulation. This programme brings together the implementation of recommendations from the Corry Review, the Independent Water Commission, and the internal Optimising Delivery (Hancock) Review, alongside wider government regulatory reform activity, with a focus on prioritising reforms that will deliver the greatest impact. Key elements of this work are being taken forward through existing delivery vehicles, including the Water White Paper and forthcoming Water Reform Bill, as well as prioritised implementation of Corry Review recommendations. This includes reforms to regulatory governance and delivery, such as the Lead Environmental Regulator (LER) approach and the Defra Infrastructure Board. Together, these provide a clear view of how Defra is changing the regulatory environment, the legislative changes required and how delivery is being sequenced. To meet the intent of the Committee’s recommendation, the department will provide the Committee with a written update within six months, setting out progress across these reforms.