Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which body is responsible for monitoring the outcomes of environmental regulation; and what corrective mechanisms are in place when environmental targets are not met.

The outcomes of environmental regulation are monitored by independent scrutiny bodies, including the Office for Environmental Protection and the National Audit Office. Defra and its regulators review the effectiveness of their regulatory activity, supported by periodic external reviews and monitoring of key plans and targets, including the Environmental Improvement Plan and Environment Act targets.

We are committed to meeting our environmental targets and will refine our delivery plans where needed, in response to emerging evidence, policy evaluation and stakeholder feedback.