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Red Tape Challenge: government invites comments on environmental legislation
Practical Law UK Legal Update 3-505-6245 (Approx. 4 pages)
Red Tape Challenge: government invites comments on environmental legislation
by PLC Environment
| Published on 07 Apr 2011 • England, Wales |
On 7 April 2011, the government launched its Red Tape Challenge, a consultation aimed at reducing the burden of regulation. This initiative includes a review of environmental legislation.
Speedread
On 7 April 2011, the government launched its Red Tape Challenge website, through which it will undertake a thematic review of over 21,000 statutory instruments. The regulations will be grouped into themes, with new themes appearing on the website every few weeks for the public to comment on. After the consultation on a particular theme closes, relevant government departments will then have three months in which to justify the continued existence of the relevant regulations.
The campaign is also divided into six "cross-cutting themes", which will be open for the duration of the Red Tape Challenge. One of the cross-cutting themes is environment. Departments must comment on these themes every four months.
In its Plan for Growth, published on 23 March 2011 with the 2011 Budget, the government announced a plan to undertake a thematic review of over 21,000 statutory instruments (see Legal update, 2011 Budget: environmental implications).
On 7 April 2011, the government launched its Red Tape Challenge website. The 21,000 regulations will be grouped according to themes, with new themes appearing on the website every few weeks for the public to comment on. After the consultation on a particular theme closes, the relevant government departments will then have three months in which to justify the continued existence of the reviewed regulations.
Several of the first few themes to be addressed may have environmental implications, as follows:
- Road transportation (from 20 May 2011).
- Fisheries, marine enterprises and internal waterways (from 2 June 2011).
- Utilities and energy (from 21 July 2011).
- Rail and merchant shipping (from 4 August 2011).
- Mining and quarrying (from 18 August 2011).
The campaign is also divided into six "cross-cutting themes", which will be open for the duration of the Red Tape Challenge. One of the cross-cutting themes is environment. Departments must comment on these themes every four months. Environmental regulations have been divided into the following seven areas for ease of making comments:
- Air quality.
- Biodiversity, wildlife management, landscape, countryside and recreation.
- Energy labelling and sustainable products.
- Industrial emissions and carbon reductions.
- Noise and nuisance.
- Waste.
- Environmental permits, information and damage.
For more information on other areas that are subject to the Red Tape Challenge, see Legal update, Government launches thematic review of regulations.
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