Soil Health

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 7 Dec 2022 Closed: 23 May 2024 Parliament page
This inquiry is analysing the Government’s role in preventing further soil degradation and restoring soils across England, including through its Environmental Land Management Schemes and Soil Health Action Plan for England, expected in early 2023. To inform this inquiry, the EFRA Committee launched a farmer survey on soil health . … Read more
25 Recommendations
11 Conclusions
1 Report
6 Oral sessions
2 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 16 events
21 May
2024
Correspondence
23 Apr
2024
Correspondence
21 Mar
2024
Report published
5 Dec
2023
Report published
18 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
18 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
13 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
13 Jun
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
24 May
2023
Oral evidence
24 May
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
9 May
2023
Oral evidence
9 May
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
18 Jul 2023
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Oral evidence
Fiona James · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Rt Hon Mark Spencer · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sion McGeever · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
13 Jun 2023
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Dr Eleanor Reed · Natural England Professor John Gilliland OBE · Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Tony Grayling · Environment Agency
24 May 2023
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Dr Jane Gilbert, Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Dr Martin Blackwell · Rothamsted Research Helen Browning · Soil Association Jenny Grant · Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) John Williams · ADAS Professor David Spurgeon · UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) Professor Karen Johnson · Durham University
9 May 2023
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
James Robinson · Nature Friendly Farming Network James Woodward · Sustain Alliance Professor Pippa Chapman · University of Leeds Richard Bramley · National Farmers Union (NFU)
3 May 2023
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
James Robinson · Nature Friendly Farming Network Mr James Woodward · Sustain Alliance Professor Pippa Chapman · University of Leeds Richard Bramley · National Farmers Union (NFU)
7 Mar 2023
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Dr Jacqueline Hannam · British Society of Soil Science Martin Ballard · Society for the Environment Mr Graeme Willis · CPRE - The Countryside Charity Mr Kyle Lischak · ClientEarth Mr Matthew Orman · Sustainable Soils Alliance Professor Bridget Emmett · UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Soil health HC 245 5 Dec 2023 36 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
32 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report - Soil health
Develop new funding systems for Environment Agency compliance monitoring and site visits.
More monitoring will mean that these agencies need to be fully resourced. In the case of the Environment Agency, where funding for monitoring usually comes via the Environmental Permitting regulations, the Department needs to come up with ways of driving … Read more
Government Response
The government states it uses advice-led approaches and technology, such as earth observation, to enable more efficient inspections and targeted advice for soil damage prevention. However, the response does not address the specific recommendation to increase funding for agency monitoring or develop new systems for funding compliance visits.
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33 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report - Soil health
Publish clear, resourced compliance monitoring regime by 2028 for farm visits.
The EA and the RPA should continue with the “supportive” approach to compliance monitoring. By the end of the agricultural transition in 2028, however, Defra and these institutions should publish a clear and transparent regime of comprehensive site visits and … Read more
Government Response
The government advocates for advice-led approaches and efficient inspections using earth observation technology to identify land management risks. However, the response does not commit to publishing a comprehensive regime of site visits by 2028, ensuring routine visits every few years, or developing ways to increase funding for compliance monitoring.
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Government Response AI assessment · 36 of 25 classified
Accepted 13
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 12
Not Addressed 2
Total 25 recs + 11 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
21 May 2024 Correspondence from the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries relating to the Committee's Soil Health report, dated 15 May 2024
Parliament page
23 Apr 2024 Correspondence to the Secretary of State regarding the Government's response to the Soil Health Report, dated 17 April 2024
Parliament page