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Natural England budget – 2008/2009
21 February 2008
Natural England today (Thursday 21 February) welcomed news of its 2008-2009 budget settlement from Defra.
The cash settlement of £176m is challenging but will enable Natural England to continue its vital role to safeguard the long-term conservation and enhancement of the natural environment.
Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “We are pleased with the news of our budget settlement for 2008/09. Given the pressures across Defra and the public sector as a whole, this is a good outcome. At a time when the natural environment is high on the public agenda, Natural England must be at the forefront of delivery.”
Helen Phillips continued, “This has been challenging but manageable due to a £16.5m programme of efficiencies we will deliver before the end of 2011. Defra has had to make really tough choices and, this settlement, coupled with a tripling of the budget for our agri-environment schemes over the next seven years, is a good outcome for the natural environment. It is now important that we secure a similarly favourable settlement for years 2 and 3 of the Comprehensive Spending Review period and we look forward to Defra’s announcements on this at the end of March.”
