§ Mr. BurgonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the new Chairman of the Environment Agency. [104131]
§ Mr. MeacherSir John Harman will succeed Lord De Ramsey as Chairman on 1 January 2000. Sir John is currently Deputy Chairman of the Agency. The appointment will be for four years.
I am delighted that he has accepted our offer. The Agency plays a central role in protecting and enhancing the environment in England and Wales, and the Chairman must lead in determining the strategic direction, inspire the staff and ensure that it discharges its statutory duties fully.
I believe that in Sir John we have found someone who has the ability and vision which are needed to lead such a major public sector organisation, and to develop a successful relationship with the wide range of bodies that have dealings with the Agency.
I would also like to thank Lord De Ramsey for his contribution in bringing the Agency into being, and for steering it through the early days when it has sought to develop a single corporate approach from the multiplicity of organisations from which it was constructed. The Agency has come a long way since it began work in 1996, and the next few years will set the course for its continuing development.