A Committee has requested evidence from the Treasury on enforcement powers of the government's new environmental watchdog.
The Environmental Audit Committee has today (30 May) written a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond requesting that he or another Minister gives evidence for the Committee’s inquiry into the proposal for a new environmental watchdog.
The government recently published a consultation on a new environmental protection body which intends to “hold government to account on environmental ambitions and obligations once we have left the EU.”
The Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into the government’s proposals.
Reports in the media suggest that the Treasury is opposed to giving the new watchdog similar enforcement mechanisms as the European Commission, leading some environmental campaigners to express concern that the watchdog will be “toothless”.
The CLA, a rural organisation representing farmers and landowners, has also criticised the watchdog as "adding confusion and complexity" to environmental policy.
Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee who will be launching the inquiry, said: “The EU’s role in holding successive governments to account has transformed the UK from the ‘dirty man’ of Europe in the 1970s, to a world leader on the environment.
“Ministers must ensure that our treasured natural spaces and iconic British species, and our ability to hold the Government to account on air pollution are not lost by leaving the EU.
“We will be looking closely at whether the Government’s proposals live up to its promises to keep high environmental standards after leaving the EU.”
However, the government has promised that leaving the EU will not lead to a weakening of environmental standards.
The Committee has called on the Treasury to send a Minister to outline the department’s stance on environmental enforcement powers and to explain how the watchdog will ensure that the environmental protection standards previously enforced by the European Commission are met.
The Committee aims to conclude its inquiry in time to report before the Government’s environment consultation closes on 2nd August 2018.
