§ Mr. David HeathTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice his Department has given to other departments about improving the environmental appraisal of their policies. [31394]
§ Mr. MeacherAt their first meeting following the Election, on 31 July 1997, Green Ministers committed themselves to ensure that environmental issues were considered in the development of all Government policies. They also agreed that the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) should produce new guidance to help Government Departments improve the environmental appraisal of their policies.
Details of current and proposed guidance by DETR to Government Departments on environmental appraisal are set out in the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Mr. Taylor) on 16 February 1998, Official Report, column 460.