Natural England finances squeezed by Government making biodiversity protection challenging

Monday 16 Nov 2020 @ 11:25
Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries

Natural England has written to the Environmental Audit Committee setting out how funding cuts has resulted in many of its workstreams protecting UK biodiversity coming to an end.

Image representing news article

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, appeared before the Committee in October as part of the inquiry on Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Within the evidence session, Mr Juniper explained that the organisation’s current funding is below the level required to carry out its statutory duties to a good standard. The risks of which could be subjecting Natural England to legal challenges and lost opportunities to enhance the environment.

Taking action to protect species at risk of extinction, ceasing management duties for National Nature Reserves and engaging only a small number of planning authorities to support landscape and biodiversity activities are some of the areas Natural England has had to scale back support.

In his letter, Mr Juniper suggests that if Natural England received more funding, these schemes would not need to be scaled back.

Natural England has bid for enhanced funding in this Spending Review, expected to be announced later this month.

Chair's comment

Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, Philip Dunne, recently said:

“Natural England is one of the key organisations responsible for maintaining and protecting UK wildlife. Funding restrictions limiting crucial roles such as monitoring nature can have a negative impact on the UK’s biodiversity, and as my Committee has recently heard, could hamper the success of Government policies in this area.

“There are up to 1 million plant and animal species at risk of extinction worldwide, and Natural England’s to-do list is ever increasing. That is why they need the funds required to do the jobs they are tasked to do.

“We have heard how the Government aspires to be an environmental world leader, not just in the year it hosts COP26; and that it also wants a green economic recovery from coronavirus. A good start for biodiversity would be by responding positively to Natural England’s request in the upcoming Spending Review.”

Further information

Channel website: http://www.parliament.uk/

Original article link: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/62/environmental-audit-committee/news/127536/natural-england-finances-squeezed-by-government-making-biodiversity-protection-challenging/

Share this article

Latest News from
Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries

Still no fines as a result of 2022 Russian sanctions breaches

19/04/2024 16:25:00

No fines for sanctions breaches have been levied as a result of the 2022 sanctions against Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, correspondence from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reveals.

Government rejects Committee’s calls for increased parliamentary scrutiny of treaties

18/04/2024 13:05:00

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) today publishes the Government’s response to its report on scrutiny of international treaties.

New select committee proposed to provide scrutiny of highly confidential spending

15/04/2024 13:05:00

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today calls for the establishment of a new select committee, to consider sound financial practice and value for money in sensitive areas which are outside the remit of the statutory Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.

Government should learn lessons from pandemic to improve communications and counter misinformation

12/04/2024 15:05:00

Scientists working across government should be allowed and encouraged to take on a wider public facing role in the media to combat the spread of misinformation, a report from MPs says today.

MPs call for copyright changes and new champion for freelancers to improve precarious pay and working conditions in creative industries

10/04/2024 13:05:00

Many successful musicians, actors, writers and visual artists are struggling to make a living due to gaps in copyright protection, a lack of support for freelancers and unpredictable returns from music streaming, MPs warn today.

Equity in cricket: ECB must closely monitor Yorkshire to ensure no return to ‘business as usual’, MPs say

05/04/2024 14:05:00

The ECB must closely monitor Yorkshire CCC to ensure there is no return to the ‘business as usual’ that allowed a culture of discrimination to take root and thrive at the club, MPs say today.

Government must clamp down on unregulated canine fertility clinics and unlicensed pet breeders, say MPs

05/04/2024 12:25:00

The EFRA Committee wants the Government to address the fact that more than half of the puppies entering the market come from unlicensed breeders, and is today calling for a list of licensed breeders to be made public, and a change in the licensing regulations so as to include breeders of two or more litters a year, in order to counter low welfare breeding practices and provide assurance to buyers.

Committee urges Government to hold aviation industry accountable for emissions reductions

04/04/2024 14:05:00

The Environmental Audit Committee has urged the Government to hold the aviation industry accountable for its proposed emissions reductions, as it publishes the Government’s response to its report on net zero aviation.

Shared ownership is failing to deliver an affordable route to homeownership, say MPs

28/03/2024 16:05:00

Shared ownership schemes are drastically failing to deliver an affordable route to homeownership for too many people and subject buyers to rising rents, uncapped service charges, and a disproportionate exposure to repair and maintenance costs, says the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee in a report published today (Thursday).

WIREDGOV