Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the resourcing of (a) the Environment Agency and (b) other environmental regulators for environmental regulation in the context of his Department's industrial strategy.

DBT's Secretary of State has corresponded with the Defra Secretary of State on this government's approach to regulation to understand the challenges faced by regulators, including resourcing challenges for environmental regulators such as Natural England and the Environment Agency.

This engagement focused on working together on the Regulation Action Plan, published in March, to identify opportunities for growth and innovation. This has also informed our approach to the Industrial Strategy, and we will continue to work closely with departments to deliver it and the government's regulatory reform agenda.