Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to Environment Agency headcount on (a) the number of apprenticeship places offered by the Agency and (b) its future workforce pipeline.

The Environment Agency recognises the important role apprenticeships and other career-entry routes play in developing the skills and capability it needs for the future. It currently has 544 employees undertaking apprenticeships, equivalent to 4.1% of its headcount.

The Environment Agency is considering future career-entry recruitment through its strategic workforce planning.