§ Mr. ArbuthnotTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the consultation paper on the implementation of the EC directive on public access to information.
§ Mr. TrippierI have today issued the consultation paper setting out the Government's proposals on implementing this directive (EC 90/313).
The United Kingdom Government took a leading part in the negotiation of the EC directive which was agreed by the Environment Council of ministers in 1990. This directive must be implemented by member states by the end of 1992.
Improving the public's access to environmental information was one of the key principles set out in the Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance". Better access to environmental information will help to raise the standard of public debate on environmental issues by clarifying the facts.
We have already taken steps towards the implementation of the directive through the establishment of public registers of decisions taken by the enforcement authorities such as those held by the National Rivers Authority and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. The directive extends the public's right of access to information held by public authorities beyond that already held on registers.
The consultation paper sets out the Government's proposals on implementation. In particular it covers the following issues:
the kinds of information covered by the Directive;a guideline list of the public authorities subject to the Directive;the exemptions provided for in the Directive; andlegislation proposals.Views are invited on these proposals by 30 April 1992.Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library of the House.