16/03/2005 - The Environment
Agency today welcomed the final report of
the Government's Hampton Review, which was
set up to look at the scope for reducing burdens
on business by promoting more efficient approaches
to regulatory inspection and enforcement.
The Agency particularly welcomed recognition
in the report of its own efforts to modernise
its regulation over the past five years, the
report's reinforcement of the need for a wider
range of penalty schemes and its support for
good advisory services as a means of promoting
positive regulatory outcomes.
Environment Agency Chief Executive Barbara
Young said:
"I welcome the recognition that it is
possible to increase the effectiveness and
efficiency of regulation, reducing administrative
burdens placed on business, without jeopardising
the environmental standards and outcomes that
society demands. I think the Hampton report,
and the allied report 'Less is more' from
the Better Regulation Task Force, offer real
opportunities for making regulation more efficient."
"I agree with Philip Hampton that more
should be done to co-ordinate the work of
different regulators and to facilitate the
exchange of good practice. It is important
that this is achieved without adding unnecessary
bureaucracy that could impact negatively on
the ability of regulators to deliver good
and timely regulatory outcomes.
"The Environment Agency will be working
closely with Government, business, other regulators
and stakeholders to respond to the report’s
recommendations. Together we will ensure we
are able to develop and deliver regulation
effectively and efficiently, minimising the
burdens placed on business and regulators."
The Agency said it was particularly pleased
to be acknowledged as a core thematic regulator,
possibly offering a home for functions that
currently sit elsewhere.
Key Environment Agency successes noted in
the report are:
acknowledgement of the Agency's modern, risk-based
approach to regulation, increasingly adopting
more proportionate solutions that uphold environmental
standards without placing unweildy adminstrative
burdens on business
recognition of its Operator Pollution Risk
Appraisal (OPRA) risk-screening methodology
as best practice
praise for NetRegs, internet-based plain
language environmental guidance, primarily
for SMEs, and
recognition of the benefits delivered by
the creation of the Environment Agency, consolidating
predecessor organisations and enabling an
integrated approach to environmental regulation.
Looking forward, the Environment Agency believes
the report will have a major impact on the
way it regulates in future, particularly through
its support for reinforcing penalty schemes
including possible use of administrative penalties,
and greater emphasis on advisory services
as a means of promoting good regulatory outcomes.
Note to Editors
The Environment Agency is the biggest environmental
regulator in England and Wales. Our job is
to look after the environment and make it
a better place. The environment is the air
that you breathe, the water you drink and
the ground you walk on. Working with business,
Government and society as a whole, we are
making your environment cleaner and healthier.
