Work of the Committee 2010-2015

                            environment food and rural affairs, food standards agency, natural england, department for food environment and rural affairs,  
                        

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has announced further public evidence sessions for its inquiry into the work of the Committee 2010-2015.

The sessions will take place on: Wednesday 25 February with the Food Standards Agency, Wednesday 4 March with Natural Engand, and Wednesday 11 March with DEFRA.

Purpose of sessions

As part of the Committee’s review of its scrutiny of the Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) over the course of this Parliament, the Committee is holding one-off evidence sessions with Defra, its agencies and other relevant Government bodies to examine key achievements and challenges of the past five years and priorities for the coming Parliament.

Witnesses

Wednesday 11 March at 3.00pm

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Rt Hon. Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Nick Joicey, Director General, Defra
Bronwyn Hill, Permanent Secretary, Defra

This will be the final session in the Committee’s Work of the Committee 2010–15 inquiry. The session will examine the Department’s challenges and successes over the past five years and focus on key priorities for the next Parliament.

Wednesday 4 March at 3.00pm

Natural England

James Cross, Chief Executive
Guy Thompson, Executive Director for local delivery

This evidence session will hear from Natural England and aims to examine the role of the Government’s adviser on the natural environment, including its work in protecting wildlife and landscapes and improving public access to the coastline.

Wednesday 25 February at 3.00pm

Food Standards Agency

Catherine Brown, Chief Executive
Tim Bennett, Chair
Steve Wearne, Director of Policy

This evidence session will hear from the Food Standards Agency and will examine the work of the FSA over the 2010–15 Parliament. The Committee has examined food security issues in depth over this Parliament and wishes to take a strategic overview of the issues within the FSA’s remit.

Background

The Committee has previously taken oral evidence from the Marine Management Organisation, the Environment Agency, and the Independent Farming Regulation Task Force for this inquiry.

Further information

image: istockphoto