Saving £300m Through Smarter Environmental Regulation: Our Letter to The Times

Sir, Bernard Jenkin’s proposal to repair “broken Whitehall” by improving its culture is misplaced (comment, Feb 16; letter, Feb 19).

For two decades, parliamentary committees have called for a new approach to environmental regulation - not another layer of guidance and process. This year the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is again examining blurred responsibility, duplicated functions and poor outcomes.

Our submission argues for a fundamental reset: local delivery boards, directly accountable to Parliament for results.

Existing agencies would be pared back to an advisory role, rather than maintaining a sprawling network of taxpayer-funded agencies. Our initial estimates suggest that a Norwegian-inspired model could cut duplication, reduce headcount by around 6,000 and save in the region of £300 million a year - while delivering results on the ground.

If the establishment is to be renewed, it will be through redesigning accountability and incentives - not publishing another playbook.

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