Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK’s environmental standards are protected in the context of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

Defra is in the process of analysing its REUL stock and determining what should be preserved as part of domestic law, as well as REUL that should be repealed, or amended. Our aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the United Kingdom regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is a world leader in environmental protection and HM Government has clear environmental and climate goals, such as those set out in the Environment Act, the 25 Year Environment Plan and the Net Zero Strategy respectively. We are committed to delivering our legally binding target to halt nature's decline by 2030. Any changes to environmental regulation will need to support those goals as well as our international commitments including those with the EU.