PRESS RELEASE : National Trust Comment on the Retained EU Law Bill [October 2022]

The press release issued by the National Trust on 21 October 2022.

The Retained EU Law Bill is to have its second reading in parliament today, Tuesday 25 October 2022. Here, our Director of Outdoors & Natural Resources, Patrick Begg, explains why this bill puts important environmental protections at risk and why an alternative process should be put in place:

“Over 570 environmental, animal welfare and other important safeguards are at risk of being erased over the next 18 months, with little indication of what may replace them. This is deeply concerning. Nature is finite, once it’s gone we can’t get it back. And it’s already close to breaking point: global wildlife populations have declined by an average of 70% since 1970.

“Government’s role should be to nurture our natural world, our rivers, seas, woodland and wildlife which underpin the economy as much as they do society’s wellbeing. Halting, and then reversing, serious declines in nature is fundamental to all our lives, and that starts with maintaining basic protections.

“We urge the Government to withdraw the REUL Bill and instead put in place a more appropriate process, giving any new environment laws the time and resources needed for proper scrutiny through parliament.”