Environment at risk after Brexit, MPs warn

A cross-party group of 74 MPs and peers have said that new legislation will be needed to protect the environment after Brexit; and that reassuring public statements from Environment Secretary Michael Gove are of little value without it. In a letter organised by Geraint Davies MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Air Pollution, the group say a new Clean Air Act is necessary and that without it there is a danger central government will offload responsibility for enforcing rules on air pollution to local councils.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has not yet responded to the letter, but in May it launched a consultation on a proposal to create a new independent statutory body that would hold the government to account on environmental standards after the UK leaves the European Union (see below).

The UK Government’s Brexit white paper, published on July 12th, states that there will be “no regression” of existing EU regulations on air quality, water pollution and waste management after Brexit. On July 11th Mr Gove told members of the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee that Brexit would “unquestionably” lead to the creation of tougher environmental regulations.

Details of Defra’s consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance after EU Exit can be found here. The consultation closes on August 2nd.

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