Environment Act 2021

Full text of the Bill as introduced and further versions of the Bill as it is reprinted to incorporate amendments (proposals for change) made during its passage through Parliament.

Tracked changes versions of the Bill, showing amendments made in Committee of the whole House and in Public Bill Committees in the House of Commons. Please note that these are unofficial versions and may not be completely accurate.

Documents to explain the purpose of the Bill.

In the House of Commons, amendments are grouped together so that amendments relating to a particular topic or issue are discussed together.

The Government provide a delegated powers memorandum for all public (including hybrid) bills to justify the delegation of powers, usually to Ministers, in the bill. For reports of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, see “Select Committee Reports”.

Under the 'English votes for English laws' procedure, which applied from 23 October 2015 until it was suspended on 22 April 2020 (and finally rescinded on 13 July 2021),the Speaker certified Bills, or provisions of Bills, as relating exclusively to England, and/or to England and Wales. In relation to Finance Bills, the Speaker could certify founding financial motions, or clauses or schedules, as relating exclusively to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.The text of certificates issued by the Speaker, and information prepared by the Government on how government amendments affect the territorial application of provisions of the bill, are available here. (Similar information about the bill itself could be found in the Explanatory Notes – see above.).

Full list of amendment papers relating to the Bill. Individual amendment papers will be replaced with consolidated lists before the amendments are discussed. Page and line references in amendment papers refer to the PDF version of the Bill.

Details of proceedings in Public Bill Committee or Committee of the whole House, on any report (consideration) stage, and on any consideration of Lords Amendments or any subsequent Lords Messages. The documents contain the text of amendments considered at each sitting and show whether it was agreed to, negatived (not agreed), not called, not moved or withdrawn.

House of Commons Library and House of Lords Library briefing papers aim to be politically impartial, containing factual information as well as a range of opinions on each subject. Briefing papers on Bills are produced before Second Reading and, in the Commons, after Committee Stage.

The following select committee reports have been identified as relevant to the debate on the Bill.

Archive of press notices related to the Bill.

House of Lords Library Notes aim to be politically impartial and are compiled for Members of Parliament and their staff.

The Government human rights memorandum is prepared by the Government to assist the Joint Committee on Human Rights with its scrutiny of the Bill’s human rights implications.

Written submissions from outside bodies and individuals are circulated to MPs appointed to examine the Bill during committee stage in a Public Bill Committee. The following written submissions were sent to this committee.

List of related Impact Assessments

The UK Parliament does not normally legislate with regard to matters within the competence of the Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru or the Northern Ireland Assembly without the consent of the relevant body. This constitutional understanding is sometimes referred to as the Sewel Convention. Consent is expressed by means of a Legislative Consent Motion. Listed below is relevant legislative consent information provided by the devolved legislatures in respect of this bill, including cases where the relevant legislature has decided not to grant consent.

Occasionally questions put to government Ministers during debates on Bills in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords may be answered by the Minister saying 'I will write to the Hon Member'. Such “will write” replies are not published in Hansard but are placed in the Library of the House concerned and published on the Parliamentary website.

Full transcripts

Link to the relevant section in the Commons Hansard Daily Report