Committees

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Commons Select Committee

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) scrutinises the work of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It looks at issues from farming to the water sector to a circular economy. View the full list of the committee’s strategic priorities. 

You can follow the Committee on X (formerly Twitter) @CommonsEFRA

Image representing the committee

7 current inquiries

Inquiries allow committees to consider oral and written evidence on a particular topic. They usually result in the publication of a report.

View all inquiries
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy
Opened 20 May 2025
Fisheries and the marine environment
Opened 23 January 2025
Animal and plant health
Opened 9 January 2025
Fairness in the food supply chain
Opened 20 December 2024
Reforming the water sector
Report:
Published
On 16 June 2025
Govt. response:
Due by
On 16 August 2025
Opened 19 December 2024
The future of farming
Report:
Published
On 16 May 2025
Govt. response:
Due by
On 16 July 2025
Opened 6 December 2024
Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies
Opened 6 November 2024

Non-inquiry work

Non-inquiry sessions
Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter.
Pre-appointment hearings
People nominated to certain public offices may be examined by a committee to assess their suitability and plans for the role.

Latest news

View all news
Thumbnail
Informed and incensed: Feargal Sharkey on the UK’s water woes
Committee Corridor podcast features parliamentary scrutiny at heart of debate on sector
19 June 2025
Thumbnail
‘Failing’ water sector needs ‘root and branch reform’ to address culture that is ‘deaf’ to ‘crisis’
A failing water sector in which “water companies increasingly look like financial institutions rather than businesses servicing monopolised critical infrastructure” is in need of “root and branch reform”, according to a new report by Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
16 June 2025
Thumbnail
EFRA Committee publishes correspondence from Thames Water
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has published its recent correspondence with Thames Water, Ofwat and Defra regarding the pay out of retention bonuses.
9 June 2025

Upcoming events

View all events
Tuesday 8 July 2025
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy - Oral evidence 8 July 2025
10:00am
  • Rudy Schulkind (Political Campaigner at Greenpeace UK)
  • Dr Allison Lindner (Founder and Chair at Waste Law Research Group)
  • Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS (Professor of Marine Biology at University of Plymouth and Co-coordinator of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty)
11:00am
  • Dr Peter Williams (Group Technology Director and Head of Investor Relations at INEOS Group Ltd)
  • Ms Helen Jordan (Sustainability Manager at British Plastics Federation (BPF))
  • Joe Franses (Vice-President, Sustainability at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners)
  • Patrick Brighty (Head of Recycling Policy at Environmental Services Association (ESA))
Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Latest publications

View all publications
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee attendance for Session 2024–25, as at 9 April 2025
Open PDF
97KB
Attendance statistics
Correspondence to the Minister for Nature regarding Land-Use Framework, dated 17 June 2025
Inquiry The future of farming
Open PDF
131KB
Correspondence
Correspondence to the Secretary of State following his appearance before the Committee on 20 May, dated 18 June 2025
Inquiry Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies
Open PDF
176KB
Correspondence

Contact us

We can’t usually help you with an individual problem or a specific complaint.

  • Email: efracom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: General enquiries: 0207 219 1119 | Press enquiries: 020 7219 3138
  • Address: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA