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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Bodies

Asked by Sir Julian LewisConservativeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 6 November 2025UIN 85058

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the extent to which the functions of (a) national parks, (b) Natural England, (c) the Environment Agency and (d) Forestry England are (i) clearly delineated, (ii) complementary and (iii) overlapping; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the number of these bodies.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Government is conducting a full review of all Arm’s Length Bodies. This review is ongoing, and the outcomes will be published in due course.

However, as National Parks are not classified as Arm’s Length Bodies, they are not included in the review.

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