Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 27
27
The policy statement on environmental principles, to be prepared under the Environment Bill, ought to...
Conclusion
The policy statement on environmental principles, to be prepared under the Environment Bill, ought to be a powerful tool for mainstreaming environmental concerns, including biodiversity, across Government. So the Government’s response to the recommendation of our previous report—arguing that general taxation and spending should be exempt from the statement of environmental principles—was disappointing. We are concerned that the Government’s approach to this issue shows a lack of commitment to the genuine mainstreaming of environmental considerations across all Government departments. (Paragraph 132) 52 The UK’s footprint on global biodiversity
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
We disagree with the Committee’s characterisation of our approach to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement. The policy statement will be a powerful tool for mainstreaming environmental concerns, including biodiversity, across government. It will guide Ministers and officials in the development of new policies to consider the protection and enhancement of the environment. The statement will apply when ministers are developing policy, including primary and secondary legislation, policy guidance, and other documents setting out government’s approach to a particular issue. The Environment Act 2021 requires Ministers to have ‘due regard’ to the policy statement. This is a well-established legal concept which has been interpreted by the Courts as requiring application of the principles unless there are good reasons not to. It will therefore be an important tool for ensuring environmental considerations are fully taken into account during policy development. General taxation, spending and budgeting decisions are out of scope of the statement because they are subject to a separate set of established processes and controls, which already take account of environmental impacts, and which have specific constitutional and parliamentary implications. However, we have committed to reflecting environmental issues in national policy making, as well as ensuring that decisions taken on government spending are informed by their impact on meeting net zero.