Shadow DEFRA secretary Mary Creagh has warned that merging Natural England and the Environment Agency will lead to further cuts in staff and budgets.
Under proposals listed in DEFRA's joint triennial review, the two bodies responsible for the environment could merge to create a single environmental body.
But Mrs Creagh warned: "Merging the Environment Agency with Natural England, when both are sacking large numbers of staff to deliver government cuts, will leave strategic weaknesses in our environmental management, as ash dieback has shown.
"Whether it is planning reforms, or cuts to flood defences and national parks, this weak and incompetent Tory-led government has failed every environmental test."
The review, which was announced last week, is part of a rolling programme of three-yearly reviews of all government agencies - dubbed "the bonfire of the quangos" - that are feeling funding pressures in the economic downturn to scale down.
A discussion paper, published by DEFRA, said a single body could carry out the functions more efficiently, but this would also involve cuts in the short to medium-term.
"The relevant delivery arrangements - to be resilient - will need to identify ongoing cost savings and improvements to services and to stimulate and sustain economic growth," says the paper.
DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson said the review offered an opportunity to take a "fresh look" at the workings of the two bodies.
"The Environment Agency and Natural England are both vital in helping to achieve our vision of a healthy environment and a healthy economy," he added.
"Improving our environment for future generations is one of the great challenges we face as a society and we are committed to the highest levels of environmental protection."
Responses to the consultation must be submitted to DEFRA by 4 February 2012. A report is expected to be published in spring 2013.
In a similar plan in Wales, the devolved administration is combining Environment Agency Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission Wales. The new body, Natural Resource Wales, will come into effect in April 2013.
Welsh ministers consult on environment body
Philip Case on G+
Source: http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2012/12/19/136828/environment-agency-merger-means-jobs-will-go.html
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