Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Seventh Report

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Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 3 May 2006.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Report

Summary

1 Introduction

Background information

Funding of the Agency

History of the Committee's involvement with the Agency

Scope of our inquiry

The Agency's roles and activities

Managing the Agency's various roles and responsibilities

The Agency's roles as a regulator and 'Champion of the Environment'

The Agency's roles as a regulator and adviser

The Agency's performance as a regulator

The risk-based approach

Inconsistencies in approach

Specialist staff

Transparency of charges

Use of income from charges for enforcement

Prosecution of environmental offences

2 The Agency's relationship with Government

Lack of distinction between Defra and the Agency in policy-making

Regulatory changes at the European level

Regulatory changes at the national level

The Agency's involvement at consultation stage

The Agency's role in the planning system

Revision of the Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) 25

Need for additional resources in relation to planning

Flooding information for developers

3 Flood defence and management

Flood risk management

Communicating with the general public about flood risk

4 Relationships between the Agency and Natural England

The Government's agri-environment budget

Biodiversity

Conclusions and recommendations

Formal Minutes

Witnesses

List of written evidence

List of unprinted written evidence

Reports from the Committee since 2003

ORAL AND WRITTEN EVIDENCE - HC780-II

14 December 2005
17 January 2006
18 January 2006
25 January 2006

Written Evidence

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Prepared 11 May 2006