Cabinet papers to include environmental costs and benefits

Responding to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report on Greening Government, the terms of reference of the Cabinet Committee on the Environment (ENV) have been amended to make explicit that its remit includes coordination of sustainable development issues.

Green Ministers will report regularly to the ENV Committee and will prepare an annual report on their activities for publication. The first report will be published next summer.

UK Government Departments will be reminded to consider any significant environmental costs and benefits of proposals in papers for Cabinet Committees.

Each Department has been told by Prescott to begin introducing an environmental management system by the end of the current Parliament.