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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that appropriate enforcement mechanisms will be in position post-Brexit in place of those currently exercised by the European Commission and European Court of Justice, in relation to the environment.

The Government is committed to being the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

The UK has always had a strong legal framework for environmental protections which predates our membership of the EU and oversight by its institutions. Our legislative framework already includes provisions for regulators to enforce existing environmental laws.

Parliament is responsible for holding the Government to account, and Parliament is ultimately accountable to the electorate. This will not change with our departure from the EU.

If there is an allegation that the Government has acted unlawfully, or has not complied with due process, interested parties may also bring legal action against the Government, in form of a claim for judicial review through the courts.

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