Government Attacks Nature
The Government introduced new legislation in Sep 2022 via the 'Retained EU Law' Bill. This is ill thought-through, not fit for purpose and should be scrapped.
The threat to wildlife and habitats is wide-ranging and this has moved our SWT Regional Group into action. We wrote to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee ahead of its 2nd reading in the House of Commons at the end of 2022. Our group also wrote to our MP, Andrew Griffith. We got a response but we weren't happy with our MP seeing only positive benefits to people and businesses in the REUL Bill, so took it further and sent our MP another letter in March 2023.
Letter to Andrew Griffith REUL & Planning Bill (19Nov2022)
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill Group Letter Submitted
Andrew Griffith MP response (07Feb2023)
Letter to Andrew Griffith REUL Bill (04Mar2023) FINAL
This new REUL (Revocation and Reform) Bill poses a significant risk in both its Revocation and its Reform proposals. It is a massive #AttackOnNature.
- it sets an automatic end to all the EU protection by 31 Dec 2023 unless any specifics are deliberately saved. With >500 pieces of environmental legislation to be reviewed, it is an impossible task to properly re-write these into UK law within the timeline.
- it significantly reforms and weakens Parliamentary scrutiny and gives Ministers unprecedented powers.
The Wildlife Trusts had a good online debate on these aspects, so do watch this recording.
It's taken around 50 years (with Britain centre-stage to influence the EU) to build up a mass of laws and regulation that protect species, habitats and the environment as a whole. Post-Brexit, the 'Retained EU Law' held onto these vital protections.
Continued pressure from YOU, the public is needed. Please take further action for nature. Fill out your SWT postcard to urgently plea that the Prime Minister keep nature on the agenda, write to your MP (again if needed!), and participate in the discussion to let as many people know as possible. Read more here: defend-nature