1st Special Report - Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourteenth Report of Session 2017–19

This is the government's response, published 17 October 2019.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government says it has "agreed with many of the Committee's recommendations" and has amended the Bill, while declining others such as a separate Supply Estimate and a role for the OEP in enforcing international law.

• On the principles duty, it has strengthened the duty on Ministers from 'have regard' to 'have due regard'. It did not accept "act in accordance with" or extending the duty to all public authorities, saying the latter would "go significantly above equivalence".
• On OEP independence, Ministers will appoint non-executive members. The government will invite the Committee to hold a pre-appointment hearing for the OEP Chair and the Secretary of State "will duly consider" its recommendations.
• On funding, it agrees to a multi-annual framework, with a five year indicative budget it intends to review "during the first two years of operation". It does not agree that a separate Supply Estimate is needed.
• On climate change, it agrees the OEP should have climate change within its enforcement remit, having removed the former exclusion, and has required the OEP to inform the Committee on Climate Change before issuing an enforcement notice.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error