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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department issues guidance to the Environment Agency on holding meetings with hon. Members during a pre-election period.

The Cabinet Office publishes guidance to civil servants in UK Government departments and staff and members of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and other arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) on their role and conduct during pre-election periods. The most recent guidance was updated on 20 March 2025 ahead of the May 2025 local elections.

Environment Agency (EA) staff follow this guidance to ensure that their activities do not call into question their political impartiality.