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					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5</dc:identifier><dc:title>Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-07-16</dc:modified><dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor><dct:valid>2026-06-27</dct:valid>
					
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					<ukm:PrimaryMetadata><ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:DocumentCategory Value="primary"/><ukm:DocumentMainType Value="WelshParliamentAct"/><ukm:DocumentStatus Value="revised"/></ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:Year Value="2026"/><ukm:Number Value="4"/><ukm:EnactmentDate Date="2026-04-27"/><ukm:ISBN Value="9780348113983"/></ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
					

                    
									 
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				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/body" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/body" NumberOfProvisions="58" NumberFormat="default" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Part DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/part/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/part/1" NumberOfProvisions="8" id="part-1" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Number>PART 1</Number><Title>ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPLES</Title><P1group TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" Match="false" Status="Prospective"><Title>Environmental assessments: public authorities’ duties</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5" id="section-5">
<Pnumber PuncAfter=""><CommentaryRef Ref="key-fa9e8df1d4b3860413a078d023a3c5ff"/>5</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/1" id="section-5-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>A public authority must, for the purpose of contributing to the environmental objective—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/1/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/1/a" id="section-5-1-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>have regard to the environmental principles when carrying out functions specified in subsection (2), and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/1/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/1/b" id="section-5-1-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>integrate environmental protection into the carrying out of those functions.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/2" id="section-5-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The functions are any functions in connection with the assessment of plans and programmes relating solely to Wales or to any part of Wales under the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2004 (<Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/wsi/2004/1656" id="c00003" Class="WelshStatutoryInstrument" Year="2004" Number="1656" AlternativeNumber="W. 170">S.I. 2004/1656 (W. 170)</Citation>) or any corresponding provision replacing those Regulations.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/3" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/3" id="section-5-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In complying with the duty in subsection (1), a public authority must have regard to guidance included in the environmental principles and integrating environmental protection statement or revised statement published under section‍ 7.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/4" id="section-5-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>In this section and section 6, “<Term id="term-public-authority">public authority</Term>” means a person, other than the Welsh Ministers or Natural Resources Wales, who is—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/4/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/4/a" id="section-5-4-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>a devolved Welsh authority within the meaning given by section 157A of the Government of Wales Act <Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2006/32" id="c00004" Year="2006" Number="32" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct">2006 (c. 32)</Citation>, or</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/5/4/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/5/4/b" id="section-5-4-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>listed in paragraph 9(2) or (6) of Schedule 7B to that Act.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
</P1para>
</P1></P1group></Part></Body></Primary><Commentaries><Commentary Type="I" id="key-fa9e8df1d4b3860413a078d023a3c5ff"><Para><Text>S. 5  in force at 31.3.2027, see <CitationSubRef id="n8602dd7f2e61f77c" SectionRef="section-46-3" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/3" Operative="true">s. 46(3)</CitationSubRef></Text></Para></Commentary></Commentaries></Legislation>