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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what provisions are in place in the Environment Agency to protect employees working in the field of criminal investigation from the baseless use of disciplinary proceedings by managers.

The way in which the Environment Agency operates provides adequate provision against the “baseless use of disciplinary proceedings”. The Environment Agency takes seriously all concerns raised about misconduct. It investigates in accordance with a standard procedure with professional specialist HR oversight and support. A disciplinary hearing will only be conducted if there is a case to answer once the facts of the case have been established.