Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Ministerial department of the UK Government

Not to be confused with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department overview
Formed| 2001; 24 years ago (2001)
Preceding agencies|

* Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
* Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Jurisdiction| Government of the United Kingdom
Headquarters| 2 Marsham Street, London
Annual budget| £2.2 billion (current) & £400 million (capital) for 2011-12[1]
Secretary of State responsible|

* Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department executive|

* Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary

Child agencies|

* Animal and Plant Health Agency
* Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
* Rural Payments Agency
* Veterinary Medicines Directorate

Website| gov.uk/defra

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the entire United Kingdom. Concordats set out agreed frameworks for cooperation, between it and the Scottish Government,[2] Welsh Government[3] and Northern Ireland Executive,[4] which have devolved responsibilities for these matters in their respective nations.

Defra also leads for the United Kingdom on agricultural, fisheries and environmental matters in international negotiations on sustainable development and climate change, although a new Department of Energy and Climate Change was created on 3 October 2008 to take over the last responsibility; later transferred to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy following Theresa May's appointment as Prime Minister in July 2016.

## Creation

[edit]

The department was formed in June 2001, under the leadership of Margaret Beckett, when the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) was merged with part of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and with a small part of the Home Office.

It was created after the perceived failure of MAFF to deal adequately with an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease. The department had about 9,000 core personnel, as of January 2008[update].[5]

In October 2008, the climate team at Defra was merged with the energy team from the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), to create the Department of Energy and Climate Change, then headed by Ed Miliband.[6]

## Ministers

[edit]

Defra ministers are as follows, with cabinet members in bold:[7]

On 8 and 9 July 2024, the appointments of Daniel Zeichner as Minister of State[8] and Emma Hardy MP and [9] and Baroness Hayman of Ullock[10] as Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State was announced, but initially without details of specific portfolios within Defra.

Minister  | Portrait  | Office  | Portfolio

|
|
|

Steve Reed MP |  | Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Strategy and overall responsibility for departmental policy; water quality and security; food production and security; economic growth; international relations; senior appointments.
Daniel Zeichner MP |  | Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs | Farming (including Environmental Land Management (ELMS)); food security; science and innovation (including agri-science); rural; fisheries; farmed animal welfare including bovine TB; trade; budget (deputy to Secretary of State); lead for Rural Payments Agency, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Marine Management Organisation, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and Sea Fish Industry Authority
Mary Creagh MP |  | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature | Circular economy; planning and land use framework; domestic biodiversity; tree planting and forestry; international nature and wildlife; environmental targets and EIP; Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme; green finance; Protected Landscapes (National Landscapes and National Parks); lead for Office for Environmental Protection, Natural England, Forestry Commission, Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Kew Gardens
Emma Hardy MP |  | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Water and Flooding | Floods and emergencies; water; clean air and noise; environmental regulation (including chemicals, contaminated land and Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH)); pesticides; Net Zero, climate change and adaptation; domestic and international marine; lead for Environment Agency and Consumer Council for Water
Baroness Hayman |  | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister)  | Biosecurity and plant health; borders; Northern Ireland – Windsor Framework; animal welfare; One Health; access (including rights of way and coastal paths); lead for Veterinary Medicines Directorate and Animal and Plant Health Agency

The Permanent Secretary is Tamara Finkelstein, who replaced Clare Moriarty in 2019.[11][12]

## Responsibilities

[edit]

Defra is responsible for British Government policy in the following areas:[13]

* Adaptation to global warming
* Agriculture
* Air quality
* Animal health and animal welfare
* Biodiversity
* Conservation
* Chemical substances and pesticides
* Fisheries
* Flooding
* Food
* Forestry
* Hunting
* Inland waterways
* Land management
* Marine policy
* National parks
* Noise
* Plant health
* Rural development
* Sustainable development
* Trade and the environment
* Waste management
* Water management

Some policies apply to England alone due to devolution, while others are not devolved and therefore apply to the United Kingdom as a whole.

## Executive agencies

[edit]

The department's executive agencies are:[14]

* Animal and Plant Health Agency (formerly the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, formed by a merger of Animal Health and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency,[15] and later parts of the Food and Environment Research Agency. Animal Health had launched on 2 April 2007 and was formerly the State Veterinary Service)[16]
* Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
* Rural Payments Agency
* Veterinary Medicines Directorate

## Key delivery partners

[edit]

The department's key delivery partners are:[17]

* Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
* Consumer Council for Water
* Environment Agency
* Fera Science (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency, now a company in which Defra holds a 25% stake)
* Forestry Commission (a non-ministerial government department including Forest Enterprise and Forest Research)
* Joint Nature Conservation Committee
* Marine Management Organisation (launched on 1 April 2010, incorporates the former Marine and Fisheries Agency)[18]
* National Forest Company
* Natural England (launched on 11 October 2006, formerly English Nature and elements of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service)[19]
* Ofwat (a non-ministerial government department formally known as the Water Services Regulation Authority)
* Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
* Sea Fish Industry Authority

A full list of departmental delivery and public bodies may be found on the Defra website.[20]

## Defra in England

[edit]

A Countryside Stewardship Scheme sign near a new stile a Cratfield, Suffolk

Policies for environment, food and rural affairs are delivered in the regions by Defra's executive agencies and delivery bodies, in particular Natural England, the Rural Payments Agency, Animal Health and the Marine Management Organisation.

Defra provides grant aid to the following flood and coastal erosion risk management operating authorities:

* Environment Agency
* Internal drainage boards
* Local authorities

## Aim and strategic priorities

[edit]

Defra's overarching aim is sustainable development, which is defined as "development which enables all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life without compromising the quality of life of future generations". The Secretary of State wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister that he saw Defra's mission as enabling a move toward what the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has called "one planet living".[21]

Under this overarching aim, Defra has five strategic priorities:[22]

* Climate change and energy.
* Sustainable consumption and production, including responsibility for the National Waste Strategy.
* Protecting the countryside and natural resource protection.
* Sustainable rural communities.
* A sustainable farming and food sector including animal health and welfare.

Defra aims to procure a significant proportion of the goods and services it requires from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in line with government policy on the SME agenda, and has also encouraged its major contractors to engage with SMEs.[23]

Defra's headquarters are at 2, Marsham Street, London.[24] It is also located at Nobel House, 17, Smith Square, London.[25]

## See also

[edit]

* Agriculture in the United Kingdom
* Air Quality Expert Group
* Badger culling in the United Kingdom
* Cattle Health Initiative
* Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Northern Ireland)
* Energy policy in the United Kingdom
* Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
* Environmental contract
* List of atmospheric dispersion models
* National Bee Unit
* National Collection of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria
* New Technologies Demonstrator Programme
* Nicola Spence
* Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
* UK Dispersion Modelling Bureau
* United Kingdom budget
* Waste Implementation Programme

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Budget 2011 (PDF). London: HM Treasury. 2011. p. 48\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
2. ^ "Devolution - Main Concordat between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Executive". Defra. 11 November 1999. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009.
3. ^ "Concordat between MAFF and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales". Defra. 24 October 2000. Archived from the original on 23 February 2006.
4. ^ "Devolution: Subject specific Concordat between MAFF and the Scottish Executive on fisheries". Defra. 11 November 1999. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.
5. ^ "Defra departmental report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2008.
6. ^ Harrabin, Roger (3 October 2008). "Marrying energy demand and supply". BBC News. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
7. ^ This article incorporates text published under the British Open Government Licence: "Our ministers". GOV.UK. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
8. ^ Daniel Zeichner MP
9. ^ Emma Hardy MP
10. ^ Baroness Hayman of Ullock
11. ^ [1], Defra
12. ^ "Appointment of new Permanent Secretary at Defra". GOV.UK. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
13. ^ "Cabinet Office List of Ministerial Responsibilities, July 2010". Cabinetoffice.gov.uk. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
14. ^ "List of ministerial responsibilities (including Executive Agencies and Non-Ministerial Departments)" (PDF). Retrieved 18 November 2011.
15. ^ "DEFRA Agencies shake-up", news release by Defra, 29 June 2010 (from the Defra website)
16. ^ "Launch of Animal Health" Archived 22 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine, news release by Animal Health, 2 April 2007 (from the Defra website)
17. ^ "Working with others: Defra's delivery partners" Archived 5 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Chapter 6, Departmental Report 2006 (from the Defra website)
18. ^ "Marine Management Organisation established" Archived 2 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine, press release by Defra, 1 April 2010 (from the Defra website.
19. ^ "New champion for the environment launches". Natural England. 11 October 2006. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007.
20. ^ "Delivery Landscape Map". Defra. 20 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2007.
21. ^ Miliband, David (11 July 2006). "My priorities for Defra" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2007.
22. ^ "Delivering the Essentials of Life: Defra's Five Year Strategy" (PDF). Defra. December 2004. "Annex B". Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2007.
23. ^ This article incorporates text published under the British Open Government Licence: Cabinet Office, Making Government business more accessible to SMEs: Two Years On, p. 23, published on 8 August 2013, accessed on 25 December 2024
24. ^ "Defra staff set for Marsham Street move as leases expire". Civil Service World. 24 June 2020.
25. ^ "London Nobel House DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS". governmentbuildings.co.uk.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Fera – Executive agency of DEFRA
* National Collection of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria – Fera (archived)
* English Nature's website (archived)
* JNCC's website
* Defra's wiki for formulating an environmental contract (archived)
* Air Quality Expert Group. Archived 6 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine.

### Video clips

[edit]

* DEFRA YouTube channel

* v
* t
* e

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Headquarters: Nobel House, Smith Square

Ministers|

* Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
* Minister of State for Food, Farming and the Environment
* Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature
* Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs
* Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs

Non-ministerial|

* The Water Services Regulation Authority
* Forestry Commission

Executive agencies|

* Animal and Plant Health Agency
* Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
* Rural Payments Agency
* Veterinary Medicines Directorate

Non-departmental
public bodies|

| Executive|

* Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
* Consumer Council for Water
* Environment Agency
* Joint Nature Conservation Committee
* Marine Management Organisation
* National Forest Company
* Natural England
* Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
* Seafish

|

Advisory|

* Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment
* Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel
* Science Advisory Council
* Veterinary Products Committee

Tribunal|

* Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal

Other|

* Broads Authority
* Covent Garden Market Authority
* Dartmoor National Park Authority
* Drinking Water Inspectorate
* Exmoor National Park Authority
* Lake District National Park Authority
* New Forest National Park Authority
* North York Moors National Park Authority
* Northumberland National Park Authority
* Peak District National Park Authority
* South Downs National Park Authority
* UK Co-ordinating Body
* Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

* v
* t
* e

Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom

Ministerial|

* Advocate General for Scotland
* Attorney General's Office
* Business and Trade
* Cabinet Office
* Culture, Media and Sport
* Defence
* Education
* Energy Security and Net Zero
* Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
* Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
* Health and Social Care
* Home
* Housing, Communities and Local Government
* Justice
* Leader of the House of Commons
* Leader of the House of Lords
* Northern Ireland
* Science, Innovation and Technology
* Scotland
* Transport
* Treasury
* UK Export Finance
* Wales
* Work and Pensions

Non-ministerial|

* Charity Commission for England and Wales
* Competition and Markets Authority
* Crown Prosecution Service
* Food Standards Agency
* Forestry Commission
* Government Actuary's Department
* Government Legal Department
* HM Land Registry
* HM Revenue and Customs
* National Crime Agency
* National Savings and Investments
* Office of Rail and Road
* Ofgem
* Ofqual
* Ofsted
* Ofwat
* Serious Fraud Office
* Supreme Court
* The National Archives
* UK Statistics Authority

* v
* t
* e

Agriculture in the United Kingdom

* Cuisine of the United Kingdom
* Economy of the United Kingdom
* Agriculture

Companies|

* ADAS (company)
* Arla Foods UK
* Bernard Matthews
* Faccenda Foods
* Farmcare
* Frontier Agriculture
* Genus
* Müller Milk & Ingredients
* NFU Mutual
* Norbrook Group
* Openfield
* Saputo Dairy UK
* Vestey Holdings

Conservation|

* Grazing marsh
* Hedgerow removal
* Rare Breeds Survival Trust

Government
and regulation|

* Agricultural Land Classification
* Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
* Potato Council
* Meat and Livestock Commission
* Animal and Plant Health Agency
* British Cattle Movement Service
* The Country Code
* Crown Estate (Scotland)
* Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
* Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
* Institute for Animal Health
* Legislation
* Quality Meat Scotland
* Natural England
* Rights of way in Scotland
* Rural Payments Agency
* Scottish Government Net Zero Directorates
* Scottish Outdoor Access Code
* Single Payment Scheme

History|

* Agricultural Revolution
* British timber trade
* Celtic field
* Common land
* Corn Laws
* Diggers
* Dutch barn
* Enclosure
* Haughley Experiment
* Highland Clearances
* Highland Potato Famine
* Inheritance tax protests
* Lowland Clearances
* Napier Commission
* Rationing
* Run rig
* Rural Reconstruction Association
* Scottish Agricultural Revolution
* Swing Riots
* Victory garden
* Women's Land Army - WWI / WWII

Foot-and-mouth|

* 1967
* 2001
* 2007

Nations and regions|

| England|

* Agriculture in Cheshire
* Agriculture in London
* Cuisine
* Cornwall
* Devon
* Fishing

|

Scotland|

* Animal breeds
* Shetland
* Crofting
* Scottish Crofting Foundation
* Cuisine
* Factor
* Fishing
* Royal Highland Show

Wales|

* Animal breeds
* Cuisine
* Royal Welsh Show
* Tŷ unnos
* Fishing

Northern Ireland|

* Cuisine

Non-governmental
organisations|

| Employers' associations|

* Farmers' Union of Wales
* National Farmers' Union of England and Wales
* National Farmers' Union of Scotland
* Ulster Farmers' Union
* Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster

|

Trade unions|

* Unite the Union
* National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers
* Transport & General Workers' Union

Landowners' organizations|

Country Land and Business Association

Educational and
research institutions|

* Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences
* James Hutton Institute
* Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre
* Rothamsted Research
* Museums
* Museum of English Rural Life
* National Museum of Rural Life
* National Non-Food Crops Centre
* Universities and colleges
* CAFRE
* Royal Agricultural University
* Scotland's Rural College

* British Egg Industry Council
* British Poultry Council
* Fresh Start Initiative
* Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland
* Scotland Food & Drink
* Soil Association
* Tenant Farmers Association

Sectors|

* Beekeeping
* June Gap
* Fell farming
* Forestry

Other|

* The Archers
* Clarkson's Farm
* Countryfile
* Eglu
* Farmers Weekly
* Farming Today
* Hurdles

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Energy in the United Kingdom

Companies

| Coal|

* Anglo American
* BHP
* ENRC
* GCM Resources
* Glencore
* Rio Tinto
* UK Coal

|

Oil and
gas|

| Integrated|

* BP
* Shell

|

Exploration
and production|

* Afren
* BHP
* Capricorn Energy
* Centrica
* Dana Petroleum
* Desire Petroleum
* Emerald Energy
* EnQuest
* Essar Energy
* Harbour Energy
* Hardy Oil and Gas
* JKX Oil & Gas
* Melrose Resources
* Ophir Energy
* Perenco
* Pharos Energy
* Regal Petroleum
* Rockhopper Exploration
* Star Energy
* Tullow Oil

Supply|

* Greenergy
* Murco Petroleum

Support|

* Abbot Group
* Amec Foster Wheeler
* Expro
* Hunting
* John Wood Group
* Petrofac
* Qserv
* Weir Group
* WesternGeco1

Utilities|

| Integrated|

* Centrica
* E.ON UK1
* EDF Energy1
* Npower1
* ScottishPower1
* SSE

|

Generation
and supply|

| Generation|

* Drax Group
* Engie Energy International
* Horizon Nuclear Power1
* Renantis
* Vattenfall UK1
* Vedanta Resources

|

Supply|

* 100Green
* Bristol Energy
* Co-op Energy
* Ecotricity
* ESB Group
* Firmus Energy
* Good Energy
* Octopus Energy
* Opus Energy
* Outfox the Market
* OVO Energy
* Phoenix Natural Gas
* Shell Energy
* TotalEnergies Gas & Power
* Utilita Energy
* Utility Warehouse

Distribution|

| Electricity|

* Electricity North West1
* Northern Powergrid1
* SP Energy Networks1
* SSE Power Distribution
* UK Power Networks1
* Western Power Distribution1

|

Gas|

* Cadent Gas
* Firmus Energy
* Northern Gas Networks
* Phoenix Natural Gas
* SGN
* Wales & West Utilities1

Transmission|

| Electricity|

* National Grid2
* Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission
* SP Energy Networks1

|

Gas|

* National Grid

Other|

* Aggreko
* APX Group
* Aquamarine Power
* EnServe
* Hi-Gen Power
* Mark Group
* United Downs Deep Geothermal Power
* Wavegen

Companies with headquarters and/or registered office in the UK but no applicable energy operations within the country shown in italics 1Ultimate parent company is not UK-based 2Integrated in the United States, no generation or supply activities in the UK

Energy sources

| Coal|

* Coal Authority
* Coal-fired power stations
* Coal mines
* Coal mining regions
* Confederation of UK Coal Producers
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* History
* miners' strike
* National Coal Board
* Open-pit coal mining

|

Electricity|

* Association of Electricity Producers
* BritNed
* East–West Interconnector
* Economy 7
* Economy 10
* Electricity billing
* Energy switching services
* Green electricity
* Grid Trade Master Agreement
* Gridlink Interconnector
* HVDC Cross-Channel
* Isle of Man to England Interconnector
* Moyle Interconnector
* National Grid
* Control
* Reserve Service
* New Electricity Trading Arrangements
* North Sea Link
* Power stations
* Timeline of the electricity supply industry

Nuclear|

* Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor
* Franco-British Nuclear Forum
* Magnox
* Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
* Nuclear Liabilities Fund
* Nuclear power stations
* Office for Nuclear Regulation
* Sellafield
* United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
* United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory

Oil and gas|

* BBL Pipeline
* Dash for Gas
* Forties pipeline system
* Fuel protests
* Gas infrastructure
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* Hydrocarbon Oil Duty
* National Transmission System
* Natural gas fields
* Natural gas-fired power stations
* North Sea oil
* North Sea Transition Authority
* Offshore Energies UK
* Oil fields
* Oil-fired power stations
* Oil infrastructure
* Oil refineries
* Petroleum Revenue Tax

Renewables|

| Biofuels|

* Biofuel power stations
* NNFCC
* Renewable Fuels Agency
* Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

|

Geothermal|

* Geothermal power stations

Hydroelectricity|

* Hydroelectric power stations
* Mersey Barrage
* Severn Barrage
* Wave farms

Solar power|

Wind power|

* Offshore wind power
* List of offshore wind farms
* List of onshore wind farms
* North Seas Energy Cooperation
* Wind power in Scotland

Government and regulation

| Organisations|

* Carbon Trust
* Cenex
* Climate Change Committee
* Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
* Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
* Energy Saving Trust
* Environment Agency
* Office of Gas and Electricity Markets

|

Legislation and
initiatives|

* Carbon Emission Reduction Target
* Climate Change Act 2008
* Climate Change Agreement
* Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006
* Climate Change Levy
* CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
* Decarbonisation measures in proposed UK electricity market reform
* Display Energy Certificate
* Energy Act 2013
* Energy performance certificate
* Fossil Fuel Levy
* Low Carbon Building Programme
* Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation
* Planning Act 2008
* Renewable Heat Incentive
* Renewables Obligation
* United Kingdom Climate Change Programme

Non-governmental organisations

| Charities and
pressure groups|

* Ashden Award
* Bioregional
* Campaign against Climate Change
* Centre for Alternative Technology
* National Energy Action
* Stop Climate Chaos
* Tyndall Centre

|

Industry bodies|

* Association for Decentralised Energy
* Energy Institute
* Energy Networks Association
* Energy Retail Association
* Green Power Forum
* RenewableUK
* Utilities Intermediaries Association

Research|

* Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology
* Energy Technologies Institute
* Met Office Hadley Centre
* Narec
* Oil Depletion Analysis Centre
* Sunbury Research Centre
* UK Energy Research Centre

Energy conservation

* British Energy Efficiency Federation
* Close the Door campaign
* Code for Sustainable Homes
* Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme
* EcoHomes
* Energy efficiency in British housing
* Energy Saving Trust
* Energy Saving Trust Recommended
* Greenhouse gas emissions
* HTB
* National Home Energy Rating

* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

People|

* UK Parliament

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