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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that environmental standards are maintained after Brexit; and if so, how.

The EU Withdrawal Bill will ensure the whole body of existing EU environmental law continues to have effect in UK law. We will launch a consultation in early 2018 on establishing a new, world-leading, independent, statutory body to hold government to account on environmental legislation as we leave the European Union. Our starting point is that the environmental body should cover England and environmental matters that are not devolved. We are exploring with the devolved administrations whether they wish to take a different or similar approach. We will also continue to uphold our international obligations through our multilateral environmental agreements.