§ Mr. BrandrethTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the prepartions for the establishment of the new environment agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerGood progress is being made in preparing and drafting the main legislation to establish the environment agencies for England and Wales and for Scotland, and I intend to publish relevant legislative provisions in draft before the end of the recess. In these circumstances, we have decided that it is no longer necessary to seek paving powers in the present Session.
I propose to establish a new advisory committee on arrangements for the proposed agency in England and Wales and to appoint to it persons who I hope will play a continuing role in overseeing the new body if Parliament approves the necessary legislation. I am planning on the basis that it will prove possible to establish the new agency during 1995 and incorporate the existing bodies into it at the beginning of the 1996–97 financial year.
I am today publishing the report on a study conducted for the Department by Touche Ross which considers potential models for the geographic and management structure of the environment agency and provides an initial assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. Interested organisations have been invited to comment by 31 October. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.