Inquiry into natural environment after EU Referendum

The Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into the future of the natural environment after the EU Referendum.

The Environmental Audit Committee agreed before the summer recess to write to Defra and the new Department for Exiting the EU seeking assurances that environmental considerations would be properly considered as part of the process of leaving the EU and that environmental protections would not be weakened as a result. This inquiry is the the beginning of a wide-ranging hearing resulting from that letter.

Some of the issues being investigated include the:

• future of funding for biodiversity and agri-environment schemes;
• likely changes in the devolved administration;
• role that managed rewilding can play in conservation and restoration;
• use of subsidies, with farming and land management bodies.

Discussions have already begun with organisations including the Wildlife Trusts, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Institute of Environmental Sciences.

Introductory discussions have included how the Great Repeal Bill will work and whether the UK will think about replacing EU institutions with things such as a UK environment court.