§ Sir David MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons Her Majesty's Government gave powers to the EC to require environmental studies of the nature which lead to EC complaints concerning the M3 and channel tunnel; and when these powers were given.
§ Sir George YoungDirective 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment were unanimously adopted by the Council of Ministers on 27 June 1985. The directive, which came into force on 3 July 1988, sets out procedures for the environmental assessment of certain projects which are likely to have significant environmental effects. While the objectives of the directive were largely achieved in the United Kingdom by well-established legislation such as the Planning and Highways Acts, it is in the interests of both the environment and of industry and commerce that similar requirements should apply throughout the Community.