Extremely disappointing news : Government delays Environment Bill s return to Parliament
The Environment Bill was due to return to Parliament today (26 January), but the Government has confirmed that it will be delayed once more - much to the disappointment of green campaigners and business groups.
The delay is likely to last for six months or more
The Environment Bill was making strong progress through Parliament pre-Covid-19 and key figures praised the new powers added at its second reading. It contains measures to maintain and improve environmental standards now that the Brexit transition period is complete.
But after a brief return to Parliament in November 2020 following an absence of more than two months, the Bill was shelved once again in December 2020. It was due to return to Parliament today for the report stage, but the Government took it off the agenda at the last minute and confirmed that it will be rolled over into the next Parliamentary session.
A new independent regulator tasked with ensuring the Government upholds environmental standards will be based in Worcester, a minister has announced.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow told MPs the Government has decided the West Midlands city “will be an excellent location for the headquarters” of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP).
But Labour MP Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) branded the decision “inexplicable” after claiming she had been told “on more than one occasion” by ministers that the new body would be based in Bristol, creating 120 jobs.
Ms McCarthy also accused Ms Pow of informing MPs of the decision “with more than a hint of smugness”.
Last modified on Tue 26 Jan 2021 07.42 EST
The government has delayed the long-awaited environment bill, which redraws rules after the UK’s departure from the EU, provoking fury from campaigners who said it would harm action on air pollution and water quality, as well as other key issues. The proposed legislation would be the biggest shake-up of green regulation in decades.
Ministers said the delay, which means the flagship bill is unlikely to pass before the autumn, was necessary because dealing with the Covid-19 crisis left too little parliamentary time for debate. Trying to continue with the original timetable would have risked the bill falling and having to return to square one of the parliamentary process.
Carbon Brief has extracted the key components relating to climate and energy from the 1,250-page document, as well as gauging the views of experts.
Some welcomed it as the best free trade deal on climate ever agreed – a potential “game changer” that enshrines in the text both sides’ net-zero targets and a commitment to the Paris Agreement.
However, there is also concern about weakening environmental regulations due to the UK’s efforts to “water down” the climate language and distance itself from European oversight.
This Q&A examines the circumstances surrounding the Brexit deal, what it actually says about climate change, and the likely influence it will have on climate action in the years to come.
Exasperating : Government delays Environment Bill, again
Environment Minister Pow argues delay to landmark legislation does not diminish government’s environmental ambition, but green groups have panned the move, claiming it is at odds with Ministers repeated promises to deliver a green Brexit’
The Environment Bill has been hit with a fresh round of delays after an 11th hour move late yesterday evening from the government to remove the landmark legislation from the current Parliamentary session s.
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