Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom has confirmed that the majority of EU environmental legislation will be transferred across into UK law after Brexit.
Addressing members of the Environmental Audit Committee at a meeting in Westminster, Mrs Leadsom rejected a suggestion from committee chair Mary Creagh that environmental issues may be 'de-prioritised' without pressure from the EU.
"I do not see why there is any sense in which the goals of good environmental outcomes will be watered down in any way", she said.
"We have very clear goals around issues such as air quality and waste. Those commitments will be enhanced by our ability to take our place on a world stage."
But she said the UK agriculture had to have a successful and productive food and farming sector.
'Right balance'
"It is really important that we get the right balance," Miss Leadsom said.
"Food and farming is a very important economic sector and we want to see more food production, more innovation, more promotion of the Great British brand. The extent to which we can do this in a way that improves the environment will be the real sweet spot.
"As far as possible, we will be bringing all EU legislation into UK law, and at first glance it appears that will be feasible to do between two-thirds and three-quarters of legislation.
"There are roughly a quarter that cannot be brought immediately into law either because it requires technical attention or falls away, and that’s the bit we will be looking at to see what steps need to be taken.
"When we bring this EU legislation into UK law that will include all of the current targets so we will have to take a specific, legislative action to change specific parts. We won’t be creating a vacuum or a void by nationalising it.
"At our leisure we will be able to repeal, amend and strengthen. For environmental groups I think the certainty of the Great Repeal Bill will be a great comfort to them."
'Not all is perfect'
The committee also heard from Sir James Bevan, chief executive of the Environmental Agency, who said their role as environmental regulator would remain in tact post-Brexit.
"My greatest fear is that we don’t seize the opportunity we have. Whatever we think of EU legislation, a lot has generated benefit but not all is perfect, some focuses on processes rather than outcomes," he said.
"My fear is we don’t take the opportunity to develop a better environmental framework. We have got a commitment to nationalise EU legislation, we have the opportunity to decide what will stay, what will be repealed, what will be reformed."
