The Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (England and Wales) Order 2008

Statutory Instruments

2008 No. 3243

Environmental Protection, England And Wales

The Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (England and Wales) Order 2008

Made

17th December 2008

Laid before Parliament

23rd December 2008

Coming into force

23rd January 2009

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 153(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990(1), makes the following Order:

Citation, extent and commencement

1.  This Order—

(a) may be cited as the Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes (England and Wales) Order 2008;

(b) extends to England and Wales only; and

(c) shall come into force on 23rd January 2009.

Variation of section 153(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990

2.  In section 153(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (purposes for which financial assistance may be given) after paragraph (xx), insert—

“(yy) the Zero Carbon Hub Limited.”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Iain Wright

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Communities and Local Government

17th December 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order varies section 153(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by inserting paragraph (yy). Paragraph (yy) adds to the list of organisations, schemes, programmes and international agreements in that section the Zero Carbon Hub Limited (“the Hub”). The Hub was set up in response to the recommendation in the Callcutt Review of House Building Supply (CLG, November 2007 – www.callcuttreview.co.uk/default.jsp ) that a delivery body be set up to lead and co-ordinate the efforts of interested parties towards the target of zero carbon homes (‘zero carbon’ meaning that over the course of a year, occupation and use of the home should either not result in the emission of any carbon dioxide, or that carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels are balanced by renewable energy produced from renewable energy sources). The Hub will have a role in identifying key policy and research issues, disseminating research findings, promoting exemplar developments, and marketing and promoting zero carbon buildings.

This amendment enables the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Treasury, to give financial assistance to, or for the purposes of, the Hub.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the public, private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1990 c. 43. The relevant functions of the Secretary of State so far as they are exercisable in relation to Scotland were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46). In relation to Wales, the Secretary of State has concurrent powers with the Welsh Ministers: see article 2 of, and the entry relating to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in Schedule 1 to the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) and paragraphs 30 to 32 of Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).