01 Nov 2023

On Tuesday, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee questioned the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, and the Department’s Permanent Secretary, Tamara Finkelstein. Highlights: She said that the recent floods caused by Storm Babet were exacerbated by the impacts of rain coming from the opposite direction. She admits the Environment […]

23 Jul 2018

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey hosted a meeting of 30 High Commissioners from Commonwealth countries today in London. The meeting was the first time that representatives from the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA) have met, as four more countries sign up to the UK and Vanuatu-led efforts to tackle ocean plastic. The Alliance, which was announced by […]

18 Jul 2018

Evidence given by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, and Dr Sebastian Catovsky, Deputy Director for Water Services, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Watch this evidence session Scope of the inquiry The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry will consider how well the water industry serves […]

22 Jan 2018

Minister’s speech at Coastal Futures 2018   Guardian – Fiona Harvey – Government to carry out major environmental assessment of UK seas Defra prioritises post-Brexit fisheries plan and protection of UK’s coldwater reefs, promising data will be made publicly available online. An assessment of the seas around the UK will carried out by the government and […]

12 Nov 2017

Tomorrow the Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey will head to the UN Climate Change Conference in Germany to discuss our world-class marine science and leading research into ocean acidification. Defra: Saturday is ‘Oceans Action Day’ and the Minister will join leaders from around the world to address progress made on tackling climate change and its impacts […]

10 Oct 2017

The Our Oceans Conference in Malta has covered a very wide range of themes looking at the protection of the marine environment and it more effective management. Three main links: Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey is at the Our Ocean conference in Malta. Commitments on plastics & MPAs, Blue Belt. Defra ‘UK takes world stage in fight […]

01 Jul 2017

  This is a helpful but a rare event. I can’t remember the last time a Defra Minister provided an overview covering UK’s position on protecting the marine environment.  UK takes centre stage in global marine protection Today the UK and Ireland co-hosted the annual meeting of OSPAR to protect the marine environment. Environment Minister Thérèse […]