Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the day one operating capability for the Office for Environmental Protection will be least 50 full-time equivalent staff.
We are working with the newly appointed OEP chair-designate Dame Glenys Stacey who now has oversight of this work. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot confirm precisely the amount of staff the OEP will have from the day that it is established, but we are working to have up to 50 full-time equivalents in post in time for vesting. We are currently completing work to determine these initial key posts for the OEP to fulfil its duties as set out in the Environment Bill. We will ensure that the OEP will have all of its statutory powers and duties within three months following Royal Assent.