04 Aug 2016

Thérèse Coffey Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life Opportunities Responsibilities include: natural environment, including biodiversity, the marine environment, and international wildlife trafficking rural life opportunities, covering rural childcare, education and skills, and health floods, water and waterways air quality waste management More about this role George Eustace Minister of State […]

02 Aug 2016

Government, if it decides, can do great things. Let’s not forget the years it took them implement this simple measure. But there is still lots to do and perhaps the new Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey can pick up on a micro-beads ban soon. Defra:   Six billion fewer plastic bags taken home by shoppers in England […]

20 Jul 2016

July 21st Update. This was carried first in Marine News on Tuesday July 19th – the updates including Junior Ministers are in dark blue Andrea Leadsom has been made the SoS for the Environment and there are mixed views on her suitability for this.  Farm payments a major priority   In line with other May appointments […]

17 Jul 2016

This is the easy bit, huge challenges ahead with implications for many sectors (continue) Andrea Leadsom has been made the SoS for the Environment. Farm payments a major priority   In line with other May appointments as a leading Brexiter, Leadsom now has responsibility for devising a payment mechanism for farmers to replace EU subsidies! In […]

05 May 2016

The EFRA committee report on air quality will be like water off a ducks back to Oliver Letwin. But some of this mud is going to stick to him and the Government. Air quality failings are a significant factor in the London Mayoral elections, the London airport runway decision and Government were warned by the […]

18 Apr 2016

The Environmental Audit Committee hears from carries on with its review by interviewing Rory Stewart from Defra and Oliver Letwin (Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster) from the Cabinet office. Not a very comfortable afternoon for Rory Stewart who has to defend sitting on the Worsfold report and its recommendations. Watch the video  Tip you […]

30 Mar 2016

Despite a raft of warnings from many bodies Defra continues to do very little to resolve the fundamentals issues surrounding air quality. ClientEarth who have a track record in bringing cases that force change in Government policy have issued a formal warning. The EFRA committee have already signalled their concern with an inquiry. ClientEarth has […]