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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultation meetings relating to the Comprehensive Spending Review his Department (a) has held and (b) plans to hold with the Environment Agency.

Departmental budgets for future years beyond 2021-22 will be set by HM Treasury (HMT) through the Spending Review later this year. HMT will set out further details, including the envelopes for the Spending Review, in due course.

Defra’s Spending Review proposals will be developed in line with the outcomes we seek to achieve over the next Spending Review period. We will work closely together with our arm’s length bodies, including the Environment Agency, in developing our Spending Review plans.

Prior to Ministerial submission, Defra’s response to the Spending Review will also be approved by the department’s Executive Committee, of which the Environment Agency CEO is a member.