In June, the Government published its Triennial Review of the two main environmental regulators in England and Wales, the Environment Agency and Natural England. Professor Macrory was appointed by the Secretary of State to be a member of the six person Challenge group, designed to provide robust external challenges and scrutiny to the Review (see Annex H of the Review for it a terms of reference and membership.
In broad terms the Secretary of State has concluded that the Environment Agency and Natural England should be retained as two separate bodies, but with further on-going reform of their functions and ways of working. In a time of continuing restraint on public expenditure, they will need work closely together.