§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Attorney-General what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere is no separate Minister with responsibility for the environmental implications of the Lord Chancellor's policies: that rests with the Lord Chancellor himself. In following up the policies and initiatives set out in the Environment White Paper, the Lord Chancellor is particularly concerned to take forward the Department's action plan to help achieve the Government's target of a 15 per cent. cut in energy bills over the next five years; to contribute to the conservation of the heritage, particularly by preserving the fabric of courts designated as listed buildings; and to make use of the "Environmental Action Guide" issued by the Department of the Environment to assist managers in assessing the environmental aspects of their operations and establishing what can be done to improve them.