Can Defra and Natural England meet rural needs?
18 July 2017
The Select Committee on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 takes evidence from Defra and Natural England.
- Parliament TV: Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
- Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Committee
Witnesses
Tuesday 18 July, Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster
At 11.05am
- Alan Law, Chief Officer for Strategy and Reform, Natural England
- Shirley Trundle CBE, Director, Natural Environment Policy, Defra
Areas of discussion
- Whether the needs of rural communities are being accounted for
- How the UK's exit from the European Union might affect environmental legislation.
Possible questions
- Is it part of Defra's role to champion the needs of rural communities within government when dealing with other departments? What is Defra doing to ensure that policies across government are rural-proofed?
- How does Natural England seek to balance its obligations to the environment while at the same time promoting economic growth? Is there a tension between these two objectives?
- Is there anything Natural England would like to do more of that it cannot do at present due to a lack of resources or powers?
- How does the biodiversity duty contained in the Act compare to similar duties on public bodies in Wales and Scotland in terms of impact?
Further information
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