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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

 
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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
 
 
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The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the government department responsible for environmental
Environmental quality

Environmental quality is a set of properties and characteristics of the environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human beings and other organisms....
 protection, food production and standards, agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. Concordat
Concordat

A concordat usually refers to an agreement between the Apostolic See and a government of a certain country on religious matters, although it is also used in relation to some other agreements in internal United Kingdom and others counties' politics....
s set out agreed frameworks for co-operation between it and the Scottish Government, the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 and with representatives from the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolution legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly Reserved matters to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive....
, which have devolved responsibilities for these matters in their respective nations.






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Defra Uk Ministry Logo
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the government department responsible for environmental
Environmental quality

Environmental quality is a set of properties and characteristics of the environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human beings and other organisms....
 protection, food production and standards, agriculture
Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. Concordat
Concordat

A concordat usually refers to an agreement between the Apostolic See and a government of a certain country on religious matters, although it is also used in relation to some other agreements in internal United Kingdom and others counties' politics....
s set out agreed frameworks for co-operation between it and the Scottish Government, the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales

The National Assembly for Wales is a devolution National Assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Member, or AMs ....
 and with representatives from the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolution legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly Reserved matters to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive....
, which have devolved responsibilities for these matters in their respective nations. Defra also leads for the UK at the EU on agricultural, fisheries and environment matters and in other international negotiations on sustainable development and climate change, although a new Department of Energy and Climate Change
Department of Energy and Climate Change

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is a British government department created on 3 October 2008 by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown to take over some of the functions of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ....
 was created on 3 October 2008 to take over the last responsibility.

Creation

It was formed in June 2001 under the leadership of Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett

Margaret Mary Beckett is a British politician for the Labour Party . She is the Member of Parliament for Derby South and the current Minister of State for Housing and Planning....
, when the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a Departments of the United Kingdom Government created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture....
 (MAFF) was merged with part of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and with a small part of the Home Office
Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security and order. As such it is responsible for the police, United Kingdom Borders Agency and MI5....
. The department was created after the perceived failure of MAFF to deal adequately with an outbreak
2001 UK foot and mouth crisis

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in the spring and summer of 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism....
 of Foot and Mouth disease. The department had about 9 000 core personnel, . The department's main building is Nobel House in Smith Square
Smith Square

Smith Square is a square located in Westminster, part of the City of Westminster in London, which is notable for St. John's, Smith Square, the church in the middle of the square now used as a concert hall....
, SW1.

In October 2008 some functions were split off into the Department of Energy and Climate Change
Department of Energy and Climate Change

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is a British government department created on 3 October 2008 by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown to take over some of the functions of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ....
.

Ministers

After the 2005 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2005

The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, with a reduced Majority government of 66....
, the Ministry
Ministry (government department)

A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a Political minister, but usually a Civil service, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or administrative organisations....
 was restructured, with one fewer Ministers of State
Minister of State

Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior Political minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet ....
 and one further Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of Political minister in the United Kingdom government of the United Kingdom, junior to a Minister of State and the more senior Secretary of State ....
 but this reverted after a reshuffle in May 2006. The current make-up of the department's ministers is:
  • Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a UK cabinet-level position in charge of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the successor to the positions of Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions....
     — The Rt Hon. Hilary Benn, MP
    Hilary Benn

    Hilary James Wedgwood Benn is a British The Labour Party politician, currently serving as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Member of Parliament for the West Yorkshire constituency of Leeds Central ....
    • Minister of State for Farming and the Environment — Jane Kennedy, MP
      Jane Kennedy

      Jane Kennedy may refer to:*Jane Kennedy , Australian actor and comedian*Jane Kennedy , British Labour Party Member of Parliament...
    • Minister of State
      Minister of State

      Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior Political minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet ....
       for Sustainable Development, Climate Change Adaptation and Air Quality — Lord Hunt of Kingsheath
      Philip Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath

      Philip Hunt, Baron Hunt of Kings Heath, Order of the British Empire is a former health administrator and a Labour Party member of the House of Lords and a Minister of State at the newly created Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
       (jointly with Department of Energy and Climate Change)
    • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Natural and Marine Environment, Wildlife and Rural Affairs — Huw Irranca-Davies, MP
      Huw Irranca-Davies

      Huw Irranca-Davies, formerly Ifor Huw Davies, is a United Kingdom Labour Party politician from Wales. He has been Member of Parliament for Ogmore since 2002....


Permanent Secretary

Helen Ghosh
Helen Ghosh

Dame Helen Frances Ghosh Order of the Bath is a British Civil Servant who is currently the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ....
 is the current Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary

The Permanent Secretary, in most departments officially titled the Permanent Under-Secretary of State , is the most senior British Civil Service of a Her Majesty's Government Ministry , charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis....
. The Permanent Secretary is Head of the Department and also Principal Accounting Officer. She has personal responsibility for the overall organisation, management and staffing of the Department and for Department-wide procedures in financial and other matters.

Executive agencies

The executive agencies
Executive agency

An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland Executive....
 are:
  • Animal Health
    Animal Health

    Animal Health is the UK government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in Great Britain are healthy, disease-free and well looked after....
     (launched on 2 April 2007), formerly the State Veterinary Service
    State Veterinary Service

    The State Veterinary Service was an executive agency of the UK government department the . It was the government's delivery agent responsible for animal health and animal welfare in England, Scotland and Wales....
  • Central Science Laboratory
    Central Science Laboratory

    The Central Science Laboratory is an executive agency of the UK government department the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It specialises in the sciences underpinning agriculture for sustainable Crop production, environmental management and Habitat conservation and in food safety and quality....
  • Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
    Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

    The Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science is an executive agency of the United Kingdom government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs....
  • Government Decontamination Service
    UK Government Decontamination Service

    The UK Government Decontamination Service is an organisation within the Her Majesty's Government that provides advice and guidance to help the United Kingdom resist and recover from any deliberate or accidental release of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials or from major accidental releases of hazardous materials ....
  • Marine and Fisheries Agency
  • Pesticides Safety Directorate
    Pesticides Safety Directorate

    The Pesticides Safety Directorate ia an executive agency of the Health and Safety Executive. Up until the end of March 2008 it was an executive agency of Defra....
  • Rural Payments Agency
    Rural Payments Agency

    The Rural Payments Agency is an executive agency of the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . The RPA delivers payments to farmers and traders in excess of ?2 billion....
  • Veterinary Laboratories Agency
    Veterinary Laboratories Agency

    The Veterinary Laboratories Agency is an executive agency of the UK government department, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs....
  • Veterinary Medicines Directorate
    Veterinary Medicines Directorate

    The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs seeking to protect public health, animal health, the environment and promoting animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines in the United Kingdom....


Key delivery partners

The key delivery partners are:
  • British Waterways
    British Waterways

    British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by government. It is the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals of Great Britain, and also some rivers and docks....
  • Environment Agency
    Environment Agency

    The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Defra and an Assembly Sponsored Public Body of the National Assembly for Wales....
  • Forestry Commission
    Forestry Commission

    The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
  • Natural England
    Natural England

    Natural England is a non-departmental public body of the UK government. It was formed on 1 October 2006. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved....
     (launched on 11 October 2006), formerly English Nature
    English Nature

    English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the Conservation ethic of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006....
     and elements of the Countryside Agency
    Countryside Agency

    The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it....
     and the Rural Development Service
    Rural Development Service

    The Rural Development Service was formerly part of the Politics of the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It ceased to exist on 1 October 2006 following the creation of Natural England....
    .


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

Defra in the English regions

Policies for environment, food and rural affairs are delivered in the regions by Defra's executive agencies and delivery bodies, in particular Natural England
Natural England

Natural England is a non-departmental public body of the UK government. It was formed on 1 October 2006. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved....
, the Rural Payments Agency
Rural Payments Agency

The Rural Payments Agency is an executive agency of the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . The RPA delivers payments to farmers and traders in excess of ?2 billion....
, Animal Health
Animal Health

Animal Health is the UK government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in Great Britain are healthy, disease-free and well looked after....
, the Marine and Fisheries Agency and the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate. Increasingly, a range of policies are communicated locally by Government Offices for English Regions.

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

An operating authority is a body empowered under the Land Drainage Act 1991 or Water Resources Act 1991 to undertake land drainage or flood protection work in England and Wales....
:
  • Environment Agency
    Environment Agency

    The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Defra and an Assembly Sponsored Public Body of the National Assembly for Wales....
  • Internal Drainage Boards
  • local authorities


Aim and strategic priorities

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
World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an Internationalism non-governmental organization for the Conservation biology, Environmental science and Restoration ecology of the environment , formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in the United States and Canada....
 (WWF) has called "one planet living".

Under this overarching aim, Defra has five strategic priorities:
  • Climate change and energy.
  • Sustainable consumption and production, including responsibility for the National Waste Strategy
    National Waste Strategy

    The National Waste Strategy is a policy of the government of the United Kingdom, and in particular the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , intended to foster a move to sustainability in waste management within Great Britain....
    .
  • Protecting the countryside and natural resource protection.
  • Sustainable rural communities.
  • A sustainable farming and food sector including animal health and welfare.


See also

  • List of atmospheric dispersion models
  • Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
    Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

    The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development....
     (Northern Ireland
    Northern Ireland

    conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
    )
  • Energy policy in the United Kingdom
  • Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
    Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom

    Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom have been receiving increased attention over recent years. Key factors behind this are the UK Government's commitment to reducing carbon dioxide, the projected 'energy gap' in electricity generation, and the increasing reliance on imports to meet national energy needs....
  • Environmental contract
    Environmental contract

    An environmental contract is a way of expressing the rights and social responsibility of citizens, company and the state when it comes to the natural environment....
  • New Technologies Demonstrator Programme
    New Technologies Demonstrator Programme

    The New Technologies Demonstrator Programme is a scheme part of Defra's Waste Implementation Programme, New Technologies Workstream, to demonstrate advanced list of solid waste treatment technologies in England....
  • UK Dispersion Modelling Bureau
    UK Dispersion Modelling Bureau

    The UK Dispersion Modelling Bureau is part of the Met Office which is the United Kingdom's national weather and meteorological service. The meteorologists in the bureau are among the UK's leading experts in areas such:...
  • United Kingdom budget
    United Kingdom budget

    The United Kingdom budget in the field of Public finance deals with HM Treasury budgeting the revenues gathered by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and expenditures of public sector departments, in compliance with government policy....
  • Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
    Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department

    The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department was a UK civil service Ministry of the Scottish Executive. SEERAD was responsible for the following areas in Scotland: agriculture, rural development, food, the natural environment and Fishing industry in Scotland....
  • Waste Implementation Programme
    Waste Implementation Programme

    The Waste Implementation Programme is the UK Government's response to the package of strategic measures recommended by the Strategy Unit "Waste Not, Want Not" report published in 2002....
  • Cattle Health Initiative
    Cattle Health Initiative

    The United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has funded 27 Farm Health Planning projects, known as the Cattle Health Project....


External links



Video clips