Committee publication · Correspondence · 9 September 2025

Correspondence from the Department regarding the Environmental Improvement Plan 24-25 Annual Progress Report, dated 14 July 2025

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies

Summary

DEFRA notifies the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of the publication of its 2024/25 progress report on the Environmental Improvement Plan, the fourth statutory report under the Environment Act 2021. The letter highlights progress towards long-term environmental goals, acknowledges serious remaining challenges, and announces a rapid review and revision of the plan informed by the Office for Environmental Protection's advice, due later in 2025.

Key findings

DEFRA has published its seventh annual progress report on the Environmental Improvement Plan, covering the reporting period spanning both the previous and current government (up to July 2024 and beyond)
A rapid review and revision of the Environmental Improvement Plan has been completed, informed by the Office for Environmental Protection's advice, with the revised plan due for publication later in 2025
The 25 Year Environment Plan Outcome Indicator Framework was updated in May with data on 65 of 66 outcome indicators across 10 environmental themes, including new datapoints for 47 indicators
The government acknowledges serious challenges remain in improving the environment within a generation, despite progress made in certain areas

Tone

Procedural

Topics

environmental-policyenvironmental-improvement-plangovernment-reportingenvironmental-indicators

Key actors

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Alistair Carmichael, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Office for Environmental Protection

Notable line

“The reporting year spans both the previous government up to July 2024, and the current gov- ernment.”

Key Quotes

“This seventh annual progress report – our fourth statutory report under the Environment Act 2021 and the second and final full report for the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 - de- scribes where progress has been made towards achieving the long-term vision of the plan.”
— Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Describing the scope and status of the progress report

“It also highlights the serious challenges that remain in improving the environment within a gen- eration and which we are committed to urgently addressing.”
— Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Acknowledging outstanding environmental challenges

“A significant achievement has been the hard work to complete a rapid review of the EIP and the subsequent revision of the plan, due to be published later this year, which has been informed by the OEP's advice.”
— Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Announcing completion of Environmental Improvement Plan review

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗