32
Not Addressed
Develop new funding systems for Environment Agency compliance monitoring and site visits.
Recommendation
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 up this funding. This could be achieved by putting more activities under Environmental Permitting or by developing new systems for funding compliance visits.
Government Response Summary
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.
Paragraph Reference
108
Government Response
Not Addressed
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
We agree that advice-led approaches help tackle soil damage by poaching of livestock and risks from soil erosion and compaction. Enforcement action will only be taken when advice isn’t acted on or pollution incidents occur. Technology is enabling more efficient inspections. We can use earth observation techniques to identify land management risks such as bare soil over winter and soil erosion. The Environment Agency can then target advice to highlight the risks of diffuse pollution from these practices. This was successful in a 2023 River Wye catchment pilot project which identified over 400 farms with bare soil over winter and we will continue this approach this year.
Timeline
Recommendation age
2.5 yrs
Report published
05 Dec 2023