G. DEPARTMENTAL
AGENCIES, NDPBS
AND OTHER
SPONSORED BODIES
28. Do the Executive Agencies and NDPBs sponsored
by the Department have environmental strategies consistent with
the Department's strategy?
29. Does the Department have arrangements
to ensure that the Executive Agencies and NDPBs undertake environmental
appraisals of their policies and programmes?
MAFF Agencies follow essentially the same procedures
and practices as core MAFF, including the management of estates,
and the intention is to include them in the further actions described
earlier to implement the Greening Government initiative.
The nature of Agencies' arrangements will, however,
reflect the extent to which they have environmental responsibilities
or functions. Examples include the Farming and Rural Conservation
Agency, much of whose effort is devoted to the delivery of agri-environment
programmes for MAFF and the Welsh Office. Although it does not
have an environmental strategy as such, environmental considerations
are to the fore in determining operational and resource policies.
The NDPBs which MAFF sponsors will also be brought
within the action plan. MAFF's arrangements for green operations
apply automatically to its Agencies. For example, the Centre for
Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science has established
an Environmental Management Policy covering its own operations
which is consistent with MAFF's arrangements.
The Central Science Laboratory is developing
a strategy on energy usage where improvements will be identified
and capital funding sought. A requirement for energy efficient
lighting in plant rooms has already been identified. The Central
Science Laboratory has established a "green committee to
focus on green issues in general and to ensure that its operations
take full account of issues such as recycling.
The NDPBs which MAFF sponsors have been asked
to consider similar steps to the Agencies as appropriate to their
individual situations.
30. How do the Executive Agencies and NDPBs
report on their environmental impacts and performance?
The Department is considering whether to place
a specific obligation on Agencies and NDPBs to report their actions
on the Greening Government initiative. Agencies already report
as required, for example on energy statistics, to MAFF.
On green housekeeping, the Department expects
Agencies and NDPBs to set up their own arrangements and, where
they are in separate premises, to monitor their own environmental
performance.
31. Has the Department reflected its environmental
strategy in terms and conditions for grants it awards?
The majority of grants paid by the Department
are governed by the rules of the Common Agricultural Policy and
there is limited scope to modify the terms and conditions of payments.
However, Member States are able, if they so wish, to attach environmental
conditions to livestock subsidies and the UK has attached specific
conditions to these under which subsidies can be withdrawn in
areas where overgrazing occurs. Grants to fruit and vegetable
producer organisations require their operational programmes to
achieve environmental objectives. Set-aside payments are also
subject to respect of environmental conditions.
Grants are subject to the duty to balance environmental,
economic and social interests under Section 17 of the Agriculture
Act 1986. More specific conditions apply to the schemes with specific
environmental objectives such as Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally
Sensitive Areas, Nitrate Sensitive Areas and the Woodland Grant
Scheme/Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, all of which are part funded
by the European Community but offer considerable scope for nationally
devised terms and conditions. Objective 5b programmes, which are
part funded by the EC and offer assistance for rural development
projects in designated areas, require an ex ante appraisal
of their effect on the environment. In addition, the appraisal
and scoring system also takes account of environmental impact
Applicants for fisheries grants are obliged
to consult appropriate authorities and abide by their requirements
if the project to be granted aided is in any area specially designated
for environmental reasons. Where a grant scheme is competitive,
higher priority is given to projects which are concerned with
protection of the environment. Where necessary, an environmental
assessment under the terms of EC Directive 97/11 may be required
to accompany the grant application. Grant aid is not given to
projects that would harm the environment. In order to conserve
scare fish stocks, no grants are available for measures that might
increase fishing effort.
The Department expects the potential impact
on habitats and the environment generally to be a key consideration
when flood and coastal defence works are being planned, and start
from the presumption that natural river and coastal processes
should not be disrupted except where life or important man-made
or natural assets are at risk. Grant aid is offered only for schemes
which are judged to be environmentally acceptable.
February 1998
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