Environment Act 2021

18 Policy statement on environmental principles: process

(1) The Secretary of State must prepare a draft of the policy statement on environmental principles.

(2) The Secretary of State must consult such persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in relation to the draft statement.

(3) The Secretary of State must lay the draft statement before Parliament.

(4) If before the end of the 21 day period—

(a) either House of Parliament passes a resolution in respect of the draft statement, or

(b) a committee of either House of Parliament, or a joint committee of both Houses, makes recommendations in respect of the draft statement,

the Secretary of State must produce a response and lay it before Parliament.

(5) The Secretary of State must prepare and lay before Parliament the final statement, but not before—

(a) if subsection (4) applies, the day on which the Secretary of State lays the response required by that subsection, or

(b) otherwise, the end of the 21 day period.

(6) The final statement has effect when it is laid before Parliament.

(7) The Secretary of State must publish the statement when it comes into effect.

(8) The “21 day period” is the period of 21 sitting days beginning with the first sitting day after the day on which the draft statement is laid under subsection (3).

(9) “Sitting day” means a day on which both Houses of Parliament sit.

(10) The requirements in subsections (1) and (2) may be met by the preparation of a draft statement, and consultation, before this section comes into force.

(11) The Secretary of State may prepare a revised policy statement on environmental principles at any time (and subsections (1) to (9) apply in relation to any revised statement).