Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minutes of Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the Environment Agency (V24)

SUMMARY

  The Environment Agency has a central role in delivering the Rural Strategy and works closely with the bodies affected by the new arrangements. We want to make sure that implementation of the strategy will protect and enhance natural resources (air, land and water) and provide a healthy rural environment vital to the whole country. This needs:

    —  Close collaboration between the new integrated agency and the Environment Agency.

    —  Environmental targets and associated funds for protection of soil air and water in streamlined funding programme.

    —  Priorities for environmental outcomes which will meet statutory obligations and delivery arrangements which lead to the necessary consistent standards.

    —  Focus of effort and resources on delivery during this period of institutional change.

  A number of our international environmental obligations, including the Water Framework Directive, rely on delivery of the rural strategy in this way. The Environment Agency is working with English Nature and the Rural Development Service testing catchment-based delivery to show how best it can be done.

1.  INTRODUCTION

  1.1  The Environment Agency is the leading public body protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. We advise government on sustainable development. We have a central role in delivering the Rural Strategy. For example we are the competent authority for European legislation that underpins the strategy, the Water Framework Directive. We work in close partnership with the bodies involved in the new delivery arrangements, for example with English Nature in delivering the Habitats Regulations where we are a competent authority responsible for protecting and improving European wildlife sites.

  1.2  We have a direct interest in the outcomes of the strategy. We are pleased that the strategy recognises the importance of natural resources in rural areas and the social and economic value of the rural environment, including tourism and recreation. We want to make sure that the way it is implemented and its delivery arrangements bring the necessary protection and enhancement to air, soil and water and provide a healthy rural environment for everybody.

2.  THE PROPOSED INTEGRATED AGENCY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

  2.1  We welcome the proposal to create a new integrated Agency because it will complement the Environment Agency's approach to environmental management. This requires strategic use of a range of measures including incentives, regulation, advice and voluntary action. Bringing these together via the two Agencies will allow a sharper focus on outcomes and a simpler system for our customers.

  2.2  The new agency will have a distinct role from the Environment Agency (and the title chosen for it must reflect this). The focus of the new agency will be on biodiversity, landscape, access, recreation; the focus of the Environment Agency will remain protection and enhancement of air, land and water, management of waste and flood risk. However Lord Haskins stated that working closely with the Environment Agency will strengthen the benefits of the new agency.

  2.3  We already work effectively with the constituent parts of the new agency. For example at a national level through the Land Use Policy Group and locally through conservation initiatives. A specific recent example of where we have worked very closely and effectively with English Nature is on the PR04 process (influencing the asset investment programmes of Water Companies through the pricing round set by Ofwat). This has ranged from providing joint advice to ministers, to joint working at both policy and operational levels. One of the challenges that will face Government, the new agency and the Environment Agency is to build on this good practice and capitalise on the opportunities offered by the new arrangements.

  2.4  We have identified a number of areas where we need to work together, including:

    —  Tackling diffuse pollution.

    —  Managing the impacts of land management on natural resources and flood risk.

    —  Protecting SSSIs and Natura 2000 sites and other biodiversity issues.

    —  Access and recreation, including joint planning for recreation on land and water.

    —  Implementing the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

    —  Co-ordinating advice for farmers and land-managers.

Catchment Management

  2.5  The biggest challenge for close collaboration is to tackle diffuse pollution from agriculture on a catchment wide basis. The costs of diffuse pollution are substantial: for example costs of removing fertilisers and pesticides from drinking water are estimated at £120million per year. The impact of siltation of rivers (often the result of poor soil management) on rural flood risk is also becoming increasingly apparent. Reduction in pollution will require shifts in farming practice[9] and regulation will deliver only part of the solution. A range of techniques including incentives, advice and voluntary action are needed to address a number of farming practices, including waste management, soil husbandary, cropping practices and pesticide use.

  2.6  Tackling this challenge is central to meeting our obligations under the Water Framework Directive. The new agency and the Environment Agency will need to work together with farmers who manage land around river catchments. We are therefore putting in place now, with English Nature and the Rural Development Service, catchment management projects which will bring together the range of measures available together with specialist officers who can co-ordinate effort, target areas most at risk and provide advice to farmers.

Agri-environment Schemes

  2.7  The new agency will be responsible for delivery of the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme. This is the single most important incentive available to help farmers adjust land management practices to meet the type of challenges outlined above. Goals for biodiversity, recreation and landscape will only be secured if we have a clean air, water and land. We welcome therefore inclusion of measures for their protection.

  2.8  Priorities and targets for the Scheme must be lead by environmental considerations and in particular by our international statutory obligations. For example, the Higher Level agri-environment scheme should be focused on vulnerable environments, such as wildlife sites protected under the Habitats Directive, or catchments that are at high risk of failing to meet good ecological status under the Water Framework Directive.

  2.9  In order that the schemes tackle soil, air and water quality and flood risk management, the Environment Agency must to work in partnership with Defra and the new agency to determine the policy and national priorities for schemes (and allocation of resources). It will also work with the new agency to determine local targets and to promote and deliver to farmers.

  2.10  There is a major opportunity for the Environment Agency and the new agency to work together to ensure that guidance and advice to farmers on the range of tools and techniques affecting them (for example: incentives, voluntary action, cross compliance, regulation) is co-ordinated and simplified. The Environment Agency's view is that all farmers should:

    —  have access to the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme—for which there should be simple guidance available;

    —  have ready access to accredited guidance and advice, including through the forthcoming Farm Advisory System but also independent / NGO / farm assurance advisory networks, geared up to the provision of natural resource protection advice (this can also be provided through Environment Agency local environment officers); and

    —  be confident that regulatory and cross compliance visits will be targeted on the basis of risk.

  In vulnerable/priority catchments such as those referred to in 2.8 above farmers should:

    —  have access to Higher Level Stewardship scheme;

    —  have access to a Catchment Officer, as referred to in 2.6 above, who has a detailed understanding of the local environment and is competent to advise on specific Higher Level Scheme provisions and availability of further advice and guidance; and

    —  use other sources of qualified advice and support such as those from the Environment Agency local environment officers.


3.  STREAMLINED FUNDING STREAMS AND ENVIRONMENT

  3.1  The Environment Agency welcomes the proposed streamlining of the numerous rural funding streams. This will mean more clarity for the customer and help bring into sharper focus the outcomes to be "bought" and relative priorities. However there is a risk that separation of funding into economic, environmental and social strands will run counter to Government's objective of sustainable development. Design and delivery of the each of the three funds must not be exclusive of other elements: eg economic regeneration must consider environmental impact and opportunity.

  3.2  The EA therefore welcomes the emphasis placed in the strategy on sustainable development and the need for bodies responsible for delivery of the three funding streams to work with others. We already work closely with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and look forward to our role in advising RDAs on securing environmental gains through rural regeneration. In their new role to deliver the rural regeneration funding programme, RDAs need to:

    —  Recognise the place of a healthy environment in a prosperous countryside and regional growth and reflect this in strategic priorities.

    —  Appraise environmental impacts of investment and funding decisions.

    —  Support environmental enhancements as part of rural regeneration programmes

National and Regional funding priorities

  3.3  Protection of air, soils and water must remain a core strategic priority for rural funding and specific funds for environmental goods increased to support statutory international commitments. These decisions on prioritisation of funds must be made at a national level (even where delivery is devolved). The Environment Agency must work closely with Defra in determining the broad outcomes required from all three funding programmes including Rural regeneration and Agriculture, Food and Industry to ensure that all deliver sustainable development.

  3.4  We will also work closely with RDAs and Government Offices for the Regions to help determine rural priorities in each region and to ensure that these are in line with Defra's policy principle "to have sustainable development at their core".

4.  ARRANGEMENTS FOR DELIVERY OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

  The Environment Agency welcomes the emphasis in the rural strategy on local delivery. The Agency is organised so that we deliver environmental outcomes to meet local needs and can work closely with others. We define nationally the overall environmental outcomes we are striving to achieve, many of which are designed to meet European and International obligations. The outcomes are delivered via a network of 26 Area Offices throughout England and Wales, where our local teams work in partnership with other stakeholders to deliver the necessary actions.

  Environmental policy needs delivery arrangements that ensure we can meet national and international targets, which depend on achieving nationally consistent high standards. As Lord Haskins observed, environmental issues do not respect administrative boundaries: a delivery failure in one area will have potential implications for the whole country. National frameworks and targets are needed for environmental outcomes.

  Defra are currently carrying out a survey of the organisations involved in delivering environmental regulation to determine how they should respond to Lord Haskins recommendation 28 (that the Environment Agency should agree with local authorities a supplementary role in environmental regulation). The Agency already works closely with local authorities: for example we have complementary roles (prescribed in regulations) in permitting and pollution control.

  It is vital however that delivery of environmental policy for rural areas is consistent with the same issues in urban areas; that it is nationally consistent and that it integrates across environmental media (soil, air and water) and works alongside other policy instruments, such as advice and incentives.

  For example, the Agency's approach to delivery of regulation and cross compliance on farms is designed to minimise the bureaucratic burden. We operate a risk based and proportionate process (which needs staff with land based skills and the ability to deal with all environmental issues on a single holding). Regulation is only part of a wider strategy to achieve environmental outcomes, which means close collaboration with other agencies. And in order to tackle the very real challenges of diffuse pollution we need to operate at a catchment, not administrative level. We believe that the Environment Agency's model of national priorities and processes delivered locally on a catchment basis best meets these needs.

5.  THE IMPORTANCE OF ONGOING DELIVERY

  5.1  The Modernising Rural Delivery Programme (which underpins implementation of the Rural Strategy) is only one of a number of reviews which may have implications for the Environment Agency and the other bodies who must deliver the strategy. Defra need to ensure that the principles established which are vital to delivery of the strategy are not adversely impacted by other reviews.

  5.2  Implementation of the strategy and the institutional and legislative changes needed are costly (of both time and money). At the same time there are a number of vital new delivery targets to met: for example delivery of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme: neither Defra nor its delivery bodies can afford to divert their attention from these. The change programme must then be delivered within the £24 million budget set aside for this and there must be certainty that the projected resource benefits will be realised. If not, the programme risks becoming an opportunity cost on delivery of environmental and other rural targets.

  5.3  Defra has now set out its vision for rural areas and the direction for its delivery. As far as possible it should delegate implementation to the agencies responsible for delivery.

6.  CONCLUSIONS

  6.1  The important question for the Environment Agency (which it also posed during the Haskins review) is whether the strategy and the arrangements for its delivery will result in better environmental outcomes.

  6.2  We believe that it will do so only if the issues outlined above are addressed in implementation: by Defra, and by the new integrated agency, the Regional Development Agencies and by the Environment Agency. This means that:

    —  The Environment Agency and the Integrated Agency need to work closely together, particularly in tacking the environmental challenges from farming in water catchments.

  The new Environmental Stewardship Scheme must encompass action for soil water and air and be targeted areas where we need to meet statutory environmental considerations:

    —  The streamlined funding streams cannot be operated in isolation: those responsible for delivery must all consider environmental, economic and social targets in order to achieve sustainable development.

    —  Resource allocations must ensure adequate funds for environmental outcomes, and regional priorities must be lead by a clear national framework of environmental outcomes.

    —  Funds for Rural Regeneration must also support environmental improvements.

    —  Environmental policy must be set at a national level and be driven by international statutory obligations.

    —  Delivery of environmental policy must be driven by a clear national framework and must ensure:

    —  consistency across administrative boundaries;

      —  integration of regulation with other policy instrument (advice, incentives, cross compliance, voluntary action); and

    —  integration of measures to protect soil air and water together.

17 September 2004





9   Agriculture is not the only source of catchment pollution, but as the major rural land use, and as an industry characterised by numerous and diverse small businesses the challenge is greatest here. Back


 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2005
Prepared 4 April 2005