§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used to define whether a proposal to Cabinet will have significant effects on the environment and therefore should be accompanied by a statement of the likely environmental implications. [15109]
The Deputy Prime Minister"Questions of Procedure for Ministers" makes it clear that papers for Cabinet or Cabinet Committees should, where appropriate, cover any significant costs or benefits to the environment. The interpretation of this guidance is for the individual Minister preparing the paper. In this the Ministers can refer to the Department of the Environment publication "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", copies of which are widely available in Departments.