Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the Government plans to ensure that the four countries of the UK have a coherent approach to cross border environmental issues after the UK leaves the EU.

Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland we have a shared interest in protecting our environment and delivering a Green Brexit.

The Government wants to make sure decisions that should be taken in devolved areas are taken in devolved areas. But in some areas there will need to be a UK approach in respect of powers returning from the EU. The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) has agreed a set of common principles that will apply to common frameworks in areas where EU law currently intersects with devolved competence. These are outlined in the Joint Ministerial Communique: 16 October 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-ministerial-committee-communique-16-october-2017.

Ministers and officials are in regular discussion with counterparts in the Devolved Administrations on environmental policy matters. This includes considering the need for common frameworks and ensuring appropriate operational arrangements are in place after the UK leaves the EU.