Office for Environmental Protection
 | |
| Non-departmental public body overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 17 November 2021 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland Executive |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | Worcester, England |
| Employees | 74 (2023) |
| Annual budget | £12.1million (2022-23) |
| Non-departmental public body executives |
|
| Parent department | DEFRA, DAERA |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes | |
| [1] | |
The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is a public oversight body for environmental protection in England and Northern Ireland[1] "to provide independent oversight of the government's environmental progress". It was created as a statutory body by the Environment Act 2021.
The OEP was launched as an interim body in July 2021.[2][3] The first chair is Glenys Stacey, who has called delays in the passage of the bill "extremely disappointing".[4][5] Its first chief executive is Natalie Prosser and its headquarters are in Worcester. Concerns have been raised about potential lack of powers, independence, funding and about freedom of information.[6][3] The OEP is intended to replace the environmental protection functions of the EU, but a report by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law expressed concerns that the bill as of June 2021 would provide no equivalent legal remedy for breaches.[7] The OEP was formally legally constituted on 17 November 2021,[1] and was given an environmental governance role in England in January 2022,[1] and in Northern Ireland in February 2022.[8]
See also
- Environmental Standards Scotland - the equivalent body in Scotland
References
- ^ a b c d "Annual Report and Accounts for the year to 31st March 2023" (PDF). Office for Environmental Protection. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ letsrecycle.com (1 July 2021). "Interim OEP launched".
- ^ a b Jo Carnegie (1 July 2021). "'Not yet fit for purpose': Interim Office for Environmental Protection launches, but fears remain over post-Brexit plans". BusinessGreen.
- ^ BBC (10 March 2021). "Costing The Earth: The New Environmental Sheriff in Town".
- ^ Defra press office (26 January 2021). "Environment Bill – next steps".
- ^ Sandra Laville (30 June 2021). "Alarm over plans to shield post-Brexit environment watchdog from scrutiny". The Guardian.
- ^ Harry Cockburn (11 June 2020). "Post-Brexit environmental watchdog must 'have teeth' and be independent from government, Lords warn". Independent.co.uk.
- ^ "OEP take a environmental governance role in Northern Ireland". 23 March 2022.