MPs raise alarm as Defra workforce shrinks by 15%

Defra has cut around 15% of its workforce in the past year, with further reductions planned as MPs warn the department risks losing vital expertise.

The scale of the cuts was confirmed by Defra permanent secretary Paul Kissack during a hearing of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) select committee in parliament on 3 March, which was examining Defra’s staffing levels and delivery of farming policy.

MPs said farmers were increasingly concerned about the loss of experienced staff inside the department and the impact it could have on policy delivery.

Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, said farmers had repeatedly raised concerns with him about declining expertise within Defra.

“Farmers are very honest people. They tell me repeatedly that when a Defra official turns up it is often the farmer who tells them what they need to be doing. To be honest with you, that is a huge concern,” Mr Jermy said.

Kissack told MPs the department had already seen a significant drop in staff numbers.

"The overall reduction we have seen since March ’24 is now about 15%,” he said.

Staff numbers are expected to fall from around 7,300 in March 2024 to about 5,800 by March 2029, a reduction of roughly 1,500 posts.

The cuts follow a 10% administrative savings target set out in the Spending Review, part of a wider government drive to reduce departmental costs.

The department oversees key areas including farming policy, environmental regulation and rural affairs.

At the same time, Defra is responsible for delivering major policy changes, including reforms linked to the government’s reset of relations with the EU and new water management policies.

Kissack said the department had tried to protect key expertise during its voluntary exit scheme.

"We turned down 240 applications from people whose skills and knowledge were needed within the organisation," he said.

He added that Defra was recruiting staff with specialist skills, particularly in data and artificial intelligence, as the department adapts to new policy demands.

However, Kissack acknowledged that staff morale within the department has fallen.

He told MPs the latest Civil Service people survey results were “really disappointing" for Defra.

“We went backwards in terms of the overall staff engagement scores in 2025,” he said.

He added the department is now around five percentage points below the Civil Service benchmark for staff engagement.

Kissack said Defra’s priority was to increase staffing levels in areas under the greatest operational pressure.