The Chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has condemned what is described as Defra’s raid on staff at Natural England to prepare for Brexit.
The criticism comes in response to a letter from Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, saying that as at the end of September 2018, the Defra group has recruited over 2000 staff to work on Brexit – including fixed term appointments, interims and staff redeployed from elsewhere in the group. Over 1800 are already in post with the remainder working through pre-employment processes.
He confirmed that 400 plus staff have been moved from across the Defra group via loan or secondment drawn from Natural England, the Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency and other Defra agencies to work on Brexit.
Around 50 staff from Natural England have “recently been seconded in to EU Exit roles on two year secondments.” the letter states and “consideration was given to ensuring the potential impact on Natural England’s KPIs was minimised.”
The letter follows concerns raised by EAC Chair Mary Creagh MP in September about Natural England’s ability to deliver on its statutory responsibilities such as protecting England’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
The Secretary of State said that staff reallocations will mean some work which is not related to Brexit would stop. This could include work on maintaining England’s SSSIs, while other staff would ‘absorb’ work on SSSIs:
“…roles which are not deemed a high priority have been left unfilled and work reallocated or paused for now.”
Figures from Natural England have shown a fall over the last 2 years in the proportion of SSSI’s assessed as being in a favourable condition.
Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee said:
“Preparations for leaving the EU must not get in the way of protecting our treasured natural spaces and iconic British wildlife.
“It is disappointing that Defra has raided staff at Natural England, the organisation responsible for protecting some of the most highly valued wildlife areas in England to prepare for Brexit.
“Natural England must not become a poor relation to Defra. Ministers must ensure the valuable work it does to promote biodiversity is given the priority it deserves.”
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