74th Report - Environmental regulation

Select Committee

Public Accounts Committee HC 1687 25 March 2026

Report Status Response overdue

Conclusions & Recommendations 30 items (5 recs)

Source View on Parliament website

Government Response (AI assessment · 6 of 30 classified)

Accepted 3

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 1

Deferred 1

Recommendations

3 results

3 Accepted

Defra and the regulators are still a long way from where they need to be...

Recommendation

Defra and the regulators are still a long way from where they need to be in modernising their IT systems and processes. In 2023, we reported that Defra and its arm’s-length bodies had one of the most significant legacy IT … Read more

Government Response Summary

Natural England has assigned a Chief Officer with responsibility for Digital and Data; Defra is directing transformation investment towards regulatory activities.

HM Treasury

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4 Accepted

Waste regulation as currently set up is not effective enough at stopping waste crime or...

Recommendation

Waste regulation as currently set up is not effective enough at stopping waste crime or non-compliance. Regulation of the waste sector is not adequately addressing the rising problem of illegal waste dumping. We are encouraged by the Environment Agency’s recent … Read more

Government Response Summary

Defra will strengthen intelligence capabilities, invest in advanced technologies, and review intelligence sharing between agencies to improve detection of waste crime, including evaluating the application of new technologies to improve response times. The Home Office and NPCC will review the multi-agency response and the Environment Agency is introducing a new Operational Waste Intelligence and Analysis Unit.

HM Treasury

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6 Accepted

The Nature Restoration Fund has potential to benefit the environment and support developers, but we...

Recommendation

The Nature Restoration Fund has potential to benefit the environment and support developers, but we are not yet convinced Defra and Natural England are able to implement it effectively. The Nature Restoration Fund is an innovative solution to raising funds … Read more The Nature Restoration Fund has potential to benefit the environment and support developers, but we are not yet convinced Defra and Natural England are able to implement it effectively. The Nature Restoration Fund is an innovative solution to raising funds and commissioning projects to improve the environment when building, housing and infrastructure developments affect protected sites or species. It is an optional scheme which developers can join to discharge their environmental obligations. The Fund has the potential to better protect the environment, though it is in the early stages of policy design. Natural England expects to publish the first Environmental Delivery Plans in the Spring and Summer of 2026. Defra and its arm’s length bodies do not have a good and consistent track record in delivering complex and innovative schemes. Defra’s Biodiversity Net Gain initiative included similar aims to those of the Nature Restoration Fund, but was launched before it had all the elements in place which would enable its long-term success. Natural England will be leading on implementation of the Fund but has gaps in planning and digital skills, and is already under pressure to deliver its current responsibilities. We intend to provide scrutiny of the Nature Restoration Fund as its implementation progresses, to ensure that it delivers the intended benefits. We have concerns how, in the Nature Restoration Fund, Natural England will balance its obligations to restore nature with providing a timely and value for money scheme without putting extra burdens on developers. 6 recommendation a. Defra and Natural England should set out their plans to report publicly on progress and milestones with the Nature Restoration Fund, and should provide regular progress updates. b. Defra should clarify how the Nature Restoration Fund and Biodiversity Net Gain will work alongside each other, and how it will apply lessons learned from its implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain to the implement Show less

Government Response Summary

Defra and Natural England published the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Implementation Plan, setting out the approach to delivering the NRF, including plans for reporting on progress. The government will also provide updates on key developments as delivery progresses and has committed to report back to Parliament on the first nutrient pollution EDPs before any other EDPs are published.

HM Treasury

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