Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Appendix 34)

  Most of the provisions in the draft Bill regarding the JNCC reproduce those changes to be made shortly to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 through the Regulatory Reform (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) Order 2005, which is expected to be made on 3 March 2005. These provisions will allow the JNCC to operate more efficiently and effectively, eg by allowing the JNCC to employ its own staff, to set up a company limited by guarantee, and to receive direct grants from the Secretary of State. The changes have arisen from a comprehensive review of the JNCC to which Government responded in November 2002, and have received our full support throughout the Regulatory Reform Order process.

  We particularly welcome the provisions in the draft Bill that would enable other proposed changes arising from the review of the JNCC to be fully implemented as follows:

EXTENDING APPLICATION OF THE SPECIAL FUNCTIONS FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ASSOCIATED CHANGES TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE AND FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS

  The JNCC already undertakes many of its advisory functions on a UK-wide basis through the involvement of Northern Ireland bodies. The proposed changes would extend and formalise these arrangements, and would place all of the UK nature conservation bodies on an equal footing in relation to their participation in the work of the JNCC. The changes would ensure that advice provided to the UK Government on matters that concern the UK as a whole takes full account of the Northern Ireland dimension, would enable Northern Ireland members of the Committee to contribute as fully to the decisions of the Joint Committee as its other members, and would require common standards relating to nature conservation to be set at the UK, rather than the present GB, level. The Bill's provisions will also enable the financial support to the JNCC provided by Northern Ireland to be determined on a more equitable basis.

INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE

  The revised composition of the Committee arising from this change would provide a better balance between the representation of country agency and independent views. It would also enable the JNCC to strengthen its advice through an increased breadth of perspective and range of scientific expertise.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

  We are supportive of the proposed requirement for the Joint Committee to provide its advice in the context of sustainable development. The JNCC's strategy reflects this approach and the change would align the Committee's obligations in this respect with those of the Integrated Agency and the other nature conservation agencies represented on the Committee.

  In summary, the JNCC welcomes the provisions in the Bill. The proposed changes would enable the JNCC to deliver its special functions more efficiently and effectively. They would facilitate implementation of the JNCC's new strategy, and enable the JNCC to better support Government targets and priorities at international, UK and country levels by providing high-quality scientific advice.

ADDITIONAL MATTERS

  There are two additional matters which potentially or directly relate to the Joint Committee which it may be appropriate to take forward through the Bill:

Landscape functions

  The provisions relating to the Integrated Agency would, if enacted, mean that all the country conservation agencies in the UK would have landscape functions, but without provision being made for advice to Government on landscape issues in relation to the UK as a whole or internationally. Nature conservation in the UK and elsewhere is inextricably linked with the conservation and management of the environment as a whole. A difficulty currently exists that JNCC is unable to give UK advice on issues that combine a nature conservation and landscape perspective but must confine itself to the nature conservation element of these, leaving it to the country agencies to contribute, separately, advice on landscape issues from their individual country perspectives. A way forward may be to provide JNCC with an enabling power to advise on landscape issues which affect the UK as a whole or internationally in the circumstances where the Committee, or Ministers, consider this desirable.

The name of the statutory committee

  The Joint Committee will shortly be establishing a company limited by guarantee under the Regulatory Reform (Joint Nature Conservation Committee) Order 2005 and is currently considering the future name of the company. There is a desire to have a short name that succinctly describes the role and remit of the organisation. To avoid confusion, it would be beneficial for the Bill to rename the statutory Committee in line with the name selected for the company. Further discussion is needed before a name is chosen, in particular to ensure compatibility with the name eventually chosen for the Integrated Agency.

  However, further discussions with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and with devolved administrations, will need to be held on these matters.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

February 2005





 
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