The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
, is pleased to announce that
Tony Juniper has been selected as the Government’s preferred
candidate to take up the post of Chair of Natural England, the
Government’s advisor for the natural environment in England.
Tony Juniper has been selected following a rigorous process which
was conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code
on Public Appointments.
The Secretary of State has invited the Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs Select Committee to hold a pre-appointment hearing
and to report on Tony’s suitability for the post. Pre-appointment
scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some
of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It
is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that
the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance
Code on Public Appointments.
Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select
Committee to take evidence from a Minister’s preferred candidate
before they are appointed. The Select Committee will publish a
report setting out their views on the candidate’s suitability for
the post. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before
deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays
no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the
original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for
appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made
public. Tony has not declared any significant political activity
in the past five years.
Natural England
- Natural England plays a key role in delivering the
environmental priorities of central government.
- Its general purpose is to ensure that the natural environment
is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of present and
future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable
development.
- Natural England is a non-departmental public body, set up
under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
Biographical details of Tony Juniper
- Tony Juniper CBE is currently Executive Director for Advocacy
and Campaigns at WWF-UK, President of Royal Society of Wildlife
Trusts, Fellow of the University of Cambridge Institute for
Sustainability Leadership and former advisor to the Prince of
Wales.
- He began his career working as an ornithologist with Birdlife
International and for many years worked with Friends of the
Earth, most recently as Executive Director and Vice Chair of
Friends of the Earth International.
- He is a prolific author publishing many books, including the
award-winning best seller ‘What has Nature Ever Done for Us?’
- In 2017 Tony was recognised for his services to conservation
with a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
