{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/natural-environment-and-rural-communities-act-2006/section-78",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/natural-environment-and-rural-communities-act-2006/section-78.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2006/16",
  "legislation_title": "Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/natural-environment-and-rural-communities-act-2006",
  "path": "section/78",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "78",
  "heading": "Agreement between Secretary of State and designated body",
  "text": "(1) The Secretary of State may enter into an agreement with a designated body authorising that body to perform a DEFRA or DESNZ function—\n(a) either in relation to the whole of England or in relation to specified areas in England;\n(b) subject to paragraph (a), either generally or in specified cases.\n“Specified” means specified in the agreement.\n(2) An agreement under this section—\n(a) may be cancelled by the Secretary of State at any time, and\n(b) does not prevent the Secretary of State from performing a function to which the agreement relates.\n(3) This section is subject to sections 81 and 82 (reserved functions and maximum duration of agreement).",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 78(1) substituted (3.5.2023) by The Secretaries of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for Science, Innovation and Technology, for Business and Trade, and for Culture, Media and Sport and the Transfer of Functions (National Security and Investment Act 2021 etc) Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/424), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 13(2)(a) (with art. 17)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 78 in force at 31.5.2006 by S.I. 2006/1382, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/16/section/78",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:14:48.014805+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}