"Greening Government": Environmental Audit Committee Report (Hansard, 16 November 1998)

§ Lord Whitty

We are pleased to announce the publication today of the Government's response to the Environmental Audit Committee Report on "Greening Government". We have been able to take on board and respond positively to many of the committee's recommendations. We congratulate the Environmental Audit Committee on taking a broad and constructive approach in its "Greening Government" report, and welcome its intention to keep the issues it raises under review.

This response promises early action in a number of important areas. The terms of reference of ENV (the Cabinet Committee on the Environment) have been amended to make explicit that its remit includes co-ordination of sustainable development issues. Green Ministers will report regularly to ENV committee and will prepare an annual report on their activities for publication; the first published report will be next summer. Sir Richard Wilson will be reissuing the Guide to Cabinet Committee Business, reminding departments to consider any significant environmental costs and benefits of proposals in papers for Cabinet Committees, seeking DETR's views as appropriate. We shall be reviewing this system at the end of 1999; we want to be sure that it is delivering the changes that we are determined will be made. Where possible departments will consult on and make available their environmental appraisals. By the end of this Parliament we want each department to have begun introducing an environmental management system where deemed efficient and cost-effective and to have collected a set of examples of good practice in greening policies and operations. Whenever government create a new body we shall consider the case for incorporating sustainable development into its remit; and we have asked Green Ministers to consider and report to the Cabinet Committee on the Environment on how far sustainable development can be incorporated into the remit of all existing departments and NDPBs.