MPs on the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee are getting ready to quiz the Rt Hon George Eustice MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this afternoon on issues including water quality, biodiversity and waste reduction.

The one-off evidence session forms part of the EAC’s current inquiry into the environmental protection policies of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

From tougher action to address river pollution, to strengthening enforcement of the Government’s biodiversity net gain policy, MPs will discuss recent EAC recommendations with the Environment Secretary and discuss what progress is being made on the Department’s environmental protection goals.

The MPs are also likely to explore recommendations from two reports relevant to the Secretary of State’s remit – the latest progress report to Parliament from the Climate Change Committee (CCC), and the Office for Environmental Protection’s 25 Year Environmental Plan (25 YEP) report.

Defra achieved none of the CCC’s 2021 priority recommendations in full, and the CCC have singled it out as being behind other departments with DLUHC. This afternoon the EAC said it will be hearing from Environment Secretary George Eustice on his initial reaction to the CCC Progress Report to Parliament.

The OEP’s 25 YEP report set out a framework for assessment of Government efforts to protect, restore and improve the environment in England.

Further issues that are likely to be raised include:

• water quality, on which EAC has called for regulatory action, water company investment, and collaboration to clean up a chemical cocktail of pollution in England’s rivers;
• biodiversity net gain, and how the Government will strengthen and monitor its enforcement to address gaps in current policy;
• timelines for current strategies to bring down waste and preserve resources;
• fertiliser production, and Government plans to promote fossil-free fertilisers;
• proposed new environmental targets under the Environment Act 2021, and the status of retained EU environmental laws needing to be amended, replaced or repealed.

The Rt Hon George Eustice MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, together with David Hill, Director General for Environment, Rural and Marine, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will appear before the Committee from 14.15pm today.