MPs call for green watchdog

Transport is one of the committee's areas of concern

The government has failed to fulfill its promise to put the environment at the heart of the political agenda, according to an all-party group of MPs.

The government's lack of joined-up thinking is causing havoc to our transport system and our environment

Tom Brake MP

The environmental audit committee said ministers have not set out clear targets for making government greener.

The MPs called for the creation of a new environmental watchdog to hold Whitehall departments to account and have drafted a bill to that end.

Committee chairman John Horam MP said: "For UK environmental policy, the time has come to deliver."

'Clear targets'

"The government has set out some worthy aspirations and improved procedural arrangements, but there has been a lack of coherent progress on the ground floor," said the Conservative MP.

"What we need are some clear auditable targets and some goal posts that don't move.

John Horam: "There has been a lack of coherent progress"

"Equally, Parliament needs to strengthen its capacity to check the government's performance against its targets.

"To do this properly, just as the public accounts committee has the National Audit Office, we need an environmental audit office."

Global issues

The committee's report said that green issues and the way business and government dealt with the challenge they posed were getting greater attention worldwide.

It added that the Commons would benefit from an increased ability to hold the government to account by the operation of an auditor channelling reports through the committee.

The MPs praised the work of Environment Minister Michael Meacher but said across government as a whole, there was a lack of commitment to green issues.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tom Brake said: "The government's lack of joined-up thinking is causing havoc to our transport system and our environment.

"The railways are in chaos and the public is alienated from public transport.

"It is time that the government realised that an effective environmental policy is badly needed at the heart of its policy-making."