Recommendation 10

We asked the Department whether it has sufficient clout to manage trade-offs where there is competition between departments; and how it plans to bring to bear its responsibility for leading government to deliver on the Plan.25 The Department expects that the new cross-government group will expose difficult choices and trade-offs but told us that judgements on competing priorities will ultimately be made through escalating issues to Ministers or through cabinet committees such as the Climate Action Strategy and Implementation committees.26 In discussing how the Department will bring its responsibilities to bear, it told us that, with the introduction of the Environment Bill, certain environmental principles will be enshrined into the way policy is made and there will be a new legal framework and statutory targets that all departments will have to work with.27 The Department expects that the requirements placed on public authorities by the Environment Bill will become very noticeable to departments; and sees its new cross- government board as having a key role, to help departments gear up for the things they will have to do in law as the Environment Bill comes into effect.28 17 C&AG’s Report, para 5 18 Environmental Audit Committee, The Government’s 25 Year Plan for the Environment, Session 2017–19, HC 803, 24 July 2018 19 C&AG’s Report, para 15 20 C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 21 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.6, 14 22 Qq 54, 51–52 23 Q 23 24 Qq 52, 54 25 Qq 56–57 26 Qq 55–57 27 Q 54 28 Qq 57, 54 Achieving government’s long-term environmental goals 11 Funding and total costs