Economics
Defra places economic analysis and advice at the heart of policy-making with economists playing a key role in providing analysis, appraisal and evaluation for all aspects of Defra policy. Our aims are to ensure that policy decisions are informed by high quality and robust evidence in order to meet Defra’s strategic objectives.
Research Areas
Economic analysis provides evidence of the rationale for the Department’s policies, the effectiveness and efficiency with which they deliver their objectives and any unforeseen side effects.
Defra economists provided economic advice in the following areas of work:
- Environmental policy
- Looking at all aspects of environmental protection and sustainable development, from air and water quality, through climate change and flood management to waste and recycling. Work includes the appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of environmental policies and the development of market based approaches to environmental problems.
- Rural affairs and strategy
- Aiming to stimulate the development of competitive and sustainable economies in rural areas and tackle rural deprivation. Work aims to improve the rural research and evidence base and provide economic analysis and advice on rural issues, including promoting economic appraisal and evaluation of policy in rural areas.
- Animal health and welfare
- Looking at all aspects of animal welfare and disease control and providing economic analysis and advice on the development of appropriate incentives and policy intervention to improve overall levels of welfare.
- Food and drink
- Looking at a wide range of issues to the UK food chain beyond the farm-gate and providing economic analysis to support the Food Industry Sustainability strategy and on competitiveness issues across the food chain. Economics reports are also available here.
- Agriculture
- Providing economic advice and assessment on a broad range of policy areas from sustainable agriculture and biodiversity and natural resources issues, to domestic and international agricultural policy, particularly CAP reform and WTO agendas. Work includes development of environmental valuation and economic instruments and the evaluation of the economic and social impacts of new and existing policies on farming.
- Better Regulation and Policy-making
- Better Regulation and better policy-making is an important priority, both for the department and the Government as a whole. Better regulation seeks to design and implement regulations so that Defra’s policy objectives can be achieved at least cost to business and society.
Page last modified: 9 June, 2007
Page published: 9 June, 2007