HC Deb 04 May 1999 vol 330 cc302-3W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what environmental appraisal his Department has undertaken of(a) the Water Industry Bill, (b) the Greater London Authority Bill and (c) the Local Government Bill; if he will make these appraisals available to the House; and what changes were made to these Bills as a consequence of the appraisals. [82565]

Mr. Meale

[holding answer 29 April 1999]: (a) An environmental appraisal of the Water Industry Bill was published when the Bill was introduced on 26 November 1998.

(b) After careful consideration, the view was taken that no environmental appraisal for the Government's Greater London Authority proposals was necessary. This was because the proposal's impact would be upon the governance structures of London and, as such, would have no environmental impact.

However, promoting the objective of sustainable development will be an explicit and fundamental consideration for the Greater London Authority. The Greater London Authority's principal purposes are promoting economic development and wealth creation in London, promoting social development in London and promoting the improvement of the environment in London. The Authority's general purpose is conferred to enable it to further one or more of those purposes. In exercising the general power to do anything which it considers necessary to further any one or more of these purposes, it will be required to have regard to the effect its actions would have on the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom. And where it does exercise its general power, it is required to do so in a way which is best calculated to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom.

(c) No environmental appraisal was undertaken of the Local Government Bill as its content has no direct implications for the environment. The Bill deals with local management and financial issues. Notes on the effects of the Bill on public sector finances and public sector manpower, a summary of the Regulatory Appraisal and a statement of the Bill's compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights are included in the Explanatory Notes to the Bill.