As the Office for Environmental Protection is yet to be established under the provisions of the Environment Bill, we asked the Department about interim arrangements for holding public bodies to account on environmental law. The Department told us that a secretariat is in place, and the Chair-Designate of the Office appeared at a joint Environmental Audit Committee and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee pre-appointment session on 15 December 2020.51 The Department noted that it will...

As the Office for Environmental Protection is yet to be established under the provisions of the Environment Bill, we asked the Department about interim arrangements for holding public bodies to account on environmental law. The Department told us that a secretariat is in place, and the Chair-Designate of the Office appeared at a joint Environmental Audit Committee and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee pre-appointment session on 15 December 2020.51 The Department noted that it will also progress appointments of other members of the Board of the new Office.52 Type: conclusion | Number: 20 | Response status: not_addressed