Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-03)

Details of our members, terms of membership, meetings and framework agreement.

Although ACRE is a UK-wide advisory body, Defra takes the lead in monitoring its activities and provides the secretariat.

Members

ACRE is an independent Advisory Committee composed of leading scientists. Our current members are:
- Professor Jim Dunwell (Chair)
- Dr Kathy Bamford
- Professor Huw D Jones
- Dr Huw E Jones
- Professor Peter Lund
- Professor Jacob Malone
- Professor Andrew Millar
- Dr Andrew Prentis
- Professor Ben Raymond
- Professor Andrew Wilcox
As part of our commitment to transparency we publish a register of our members’ interests and members’ biographies.

ACRE members' biographies and register of interests, July 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6878d710760bf6cedaf5be05/Biographies_and_Register_of_Interests_July_2025.pdf) (PDF, 223 KB, 12 pages)

Terms of membership

Ministers in Defra appoint the committee members for ACRE, together with ministers in the devolved administrations. Appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Specifications for new members are agreed between the Chair and Defra in order to meet the future challenges facing the committee and to fill any gaps in the committee’s expertise.

Members and the Chair are appointed for 3 or 4-year terms. A member can serve on ACRE for up to 10 years, as long as they are reappointed by ministers at the end of their term. As with member appointments, the Chair is appointed through open competition in compliance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Committee members do not receive any direct remuneration for their services, although reasonable travel and subsistence expenses can be reimbursed.

Meetings

The next ACRE meeting will be on Wednesday 2 July at The Wesley Hotel and Conference Centre, 81-103 Euston Street, London, NW1 2EZ. The morning session, from 11:00 to 13:00, will be open to the public.

Meeting agenda: 2 July 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685e603361d68e6ee1a92af6/ACRE_meeting_agenda_July_2025.pdf) (PDF, 75.8 KB, 1 page)

If you are interested in observing the meeting, please contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) by Friday 27 June.

Minutes of previous meetings
- Minutes of meeting: 2 July 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfd2ff750fcf90fa6ffdbd/Minute_ACRE20250702.pdf) (PDF, 199 KB, 5 pages)
- Minutes of meeting: 20 February 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6661b7f27322adea1a895d29/Minutes_of_meeting_20_February_2024.pdf) (PDF, 124 KB, 4 pages),
- Minutes of meeting: 7 November 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/657b316c095987001295e142/ACRE_minutes_7_November_2023.pdf) (PDF, 175 KB, 7 pages)
- Minutes of meeting: 25 July 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65267d54aea2d00013219b9f/ACRE_minutes_from_250723.pdf) (PDF, 234 KB, 7 pages)
- Minutes of meeting: 26 April 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c294caf92186001486666a/Advisory_Committee_on_Releases_to_the_Environment__ACRE__-_Meeting_Minutes_-_26_April_2023.pdf) (PDF, 204 KB, 5 pages)
- Minutes of meeting: 21 July 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c29434f92186000d866670/ACRE_minutes_from_210722.pdf) (PDF, 247 KB, 7 pages)
Previous ACRE minutes can be found on the National Archives website (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/*/https:/www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-committee-on-releases-to-the-environment/about/our-governance).

ACRE governance agreement

This governance agreement outlines our:
- relationship with Defra
- relationship with devolved administrations and other government bodies
- funding arrangements
- appointments procedure
- code of conduct for members
It also contains our terms of reference (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/advisory-committee-on-releases-to-the-environment/about/terms-of-reference).

ACRE governance agreement (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advisory-committee-on-releases-to-the-environment-acre-framework-document-february-2025)