Financial and other matters
16Maintenance of environmental principles etc.
1
The Secretary of State must, within the period of six months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, publish a draft Bill consisting of—
a
a set of environmental principles,
b
a duty on the Secretary of State to publish a statement of policy in relation to the application and interpretation of those principles in connection with the making and development of policies by Ministers of the Crown,
c
a duty which ensures that Ministers of the Crown must have regard, in circumstances provided for by or under the Bill, to the statement mentioned in paragraph (b),
d
provisions for the establishment of a public authority with functions for taking, in circumstances provided for by or under the Bill, proportionate enforcement action (including legal proceedings if necessary) where the authority considers that a Minister of the Crown is not complying with environmental law (as it is defined in the Bill), and
e
such other provisions as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
2
The set of environmental principles mentioned in subsection (1)(a) must (however worded) consist of—
a
the precautionary principle so far as relating to the environment,
b
the principle of preventative action to avert environmental damage,
c
the principle that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source,
d
the polluter pays principle,
e
the principle of sustainable development,
f
the principle that environmental protection requirements must be integrated into the definition and implementation of policies and activities,
g
public access to environmental information,
h
public participation in environmental decision-making, and
i
access to justice in relation to environmental matters.