Sue Hayman MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, commenting on proposals for a new environmental watchdog, said:

“We will have to wait to see whether the proposed watchdog will have the independence, powers and funding it needs to properly enforce environmental law after Brexit. The Government must now put its warm words into action by supporting Labour’s environmental amendments to the Withdrawal Bill next week.

“Securing the future of our environment and the natural world requires more than just movement on governance and enforcement. Ensuring that environmental standards and protections are properly protected after Brexit requires a series of further changes to the Withdrawal Bill including the incorporation of the precautionary and polluter pays principles into UK law.

“Labour will be urging the Government to go further next week and take additional steps to guard against the desire of some in the Tory party to use Brexit as an opportunity to undermine hard-won environmental gains”.