Regulatory impact assessments and policy appraisal: third report of session 2006-07 report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

House of Commons papers 353 2006-07

Corporate Author:: Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee
Author:: Tim Yeo (chairman)
Publisher:: TSO (The Stationery Office)

Regulatory impact assessments and policy

The Committee's report examines the progress had been made by the Government to improve its process of environmental assessment in policy-making through the use of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) (as the central mechanism for assessing costs and benefits of legislation), since a previous Committee report (HCP 261, session 2004-05, ISBN 9780215024336) on the topic was published in April 2005. The report also builds upon the findings of an NAO report produced in May 2006 (available at http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/05-06/ria_sustainable.pdf), and seeks to complement the Committee's continuing investigation of the Government's progress in 'greening' government and implementing the principles of sustainable development. Amongst its 28 conclusions and recommendations, the report finds that, in the absence of a viable alternative, the RIA process must be regarded as an appropriate, if far from ideal, platform for integrating sustainable development into policy decisions. However, a number of key changes are required, including the need for a concerted commitment to establish RIAs as an essential factor in considering policy, complemented by better training and guidance to improve the production of RIAs. The Committee argues that, in the wake of the Stern Review and the very real economic costs of inaction which it highlights, it is no longer viable to view environmentally-minded regulation as a straitjacket to industry, particularly in relation to environmental technology and services industries.

Extent	44, Ev 60p.	ISBN	9780215032836
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Binding	Paperback	Published	05 Mar 2007
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