The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented The land and science property portfolios are currently led within multiple departments with accountability for their management resting with separate accounting officers and with decision-making undertaken on an individual department basis. The Cabinet Office agrees there would be benefit from greater oversight and coordination of these portfolios by naming a lead department. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has agreed to be the portfolio lead for the land portfolio; this has also been agreed with the other departments in scope of the portfolio. On the science portfolio, the lead is likely to be the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This will be finalised following the conclusion of the machinery of government changes that are necessary for the creation of the new department. A further update will be provided to the committee before summer recess.