Financial Management and Policy Review of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
11 December 2003 - Consultation
Consultation on changes to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to free the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) of various constraints presently upon it to enable it to operate more effectively
Introduction
In July 2000, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra, formerly as the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions) embarked on a financial, management and policy review of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the forum through which the three country nature conservation agencies - English Nature (EN), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) discharge their special statutory responsibilities for nature conservation across Great Britain as a whole and internationally.
Stage 1
The Stage 1 report, which was published for consultation on 16 March 2001 set out an appraisal of the functions of the JNCC and made recommendations as to the future manner in which these might be discharged. The Stage 1 Report Executive Summary is available here and a copy of the full report on the JNCC website at www.jncc.gov.uk.
Consultation
The consultation period ended on 15 June 2001 and thirteen responses were received. In the interests of openness, these are publicly available here Responses to the Consultation. They may also be viewed and downloaded from the JNCC website.
Terms of Reference for Stage 2
The FMPR Steering Group met on 5 July 2001 to consider the consultation responses to the Stage 1 report and concluded that the JNCC should continue to deliver the special functions on behalf of the country nature conservation agencies. It was agreed that Stage 2 should focus on adapting and building on the existing arrangements. Following the meeting Defra drafted terms of reference for Stage 2 which were circulated for consultation to the devolved administrations. Ministers approved the terms of reference on 11 September.
The Terms of Reference for Stage 2of the FMPR are available here and on the JNCC website.
Stage 2
The Stage 2 Report was published 28 January 2002 and
is available here - Stage
2 Report
(690 KB) and also at www.jncc.gov.uk.
In line with the terms of reference it makes detailed recommendations
concerning the future role of the JNCC, staffing and funding arrangements,
corporate planning and constitution of the joint committee.
Government Response
A steering group drawn from the country conservation bodies, the JNCC support unit and the devolved administrations prepared a draft response to the recommendations detailed in the Stage 2 Report. The Joint Committee were also consulted and it was discussed at their meeting in September 2002.
An agreed response, setting out the recommendations of the report and
the response of Government - including the devolved administrations -
to them can be found in the following document: Review
of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee - Government Response
(47 KB) and on the JNCC
website.
Changes to the Environmental Protection Act 1990
The Government proposes to make an Order under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001, to free the JNCC of various constraints presently upon it and enable it to operate more effectively. This will include providing the ability to employ its own staff, remunerate its Chairman and independent members and receive certain monies from Government.
The proposed Order is part of a package of measures, which also includes administrative change and primary legislation, aimed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and service delivery of the JNCC as set out in the Government Response to the FMPR above.
Consultation
Sections 5 (1) and (2) of the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 require the Minister to consult organisations that appear to him to be representative of interests to be substantially affected, and where his proposals relate to the functions of one or more statutory bodies, to consult those bodies or organisations which appear to him to be representative of those bodies, and also consult such persons as he considers appropriate.
The consultation is available here and includes a summary of proposals, an introduction, the background to the policy and legislation at issue, the proposals and an analysis, together with various annexes.
Contacting Defra
If you have any queries with regard to the FMPR of JNCC please contact dave.wootton@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
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Page last modified:
11 December 2003
Page published: 22 November 2002