Defra: 19th November:  Environment Secretary George Eustice has set out the next steps in establishing a new world-leading independent environmental watchdog. Writing to the chairs of the parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA), he explained how the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will be established and operational as soon as possible […]

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Background: The Lords passed a substantial amendment on the need to meet the European standards for Environmental protection. This was prompted by almost universal condemnation of the Government’s proposals, in the consultation, for a new Watchdog. With amendments now back in the Commons Government are seeking ways to assure MPs that new watchdog won’t be […]

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Government peers have today (Wednesday 16th May 2018) demanded that the government protect the UK’s environmental standards after Brexit, in yet another damaging defeat for the government over the EU Withdrawal Bill.  Lords voted 294 to 244 to pass the amendment this afternoon, which seeks to protect existing enforcement powers for environmental rules.  It demands that the […]

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Bob Earll: Well to say that the Government’s consultation hasn’t gone down well with past environmental parliamentarians would be an understatement. A toothless mutt with no legal powers to hold Government to account has prompted Peers to another amendment to the Withdrawal Bill. The environmental principles section is a bit …. thin …. It seems […]

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