Archived press release

The new whitehall: will it be greener?

11 June 2001

Tony Blair's radical reorganisation of Whitehall sees environment issues taken out of the old Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and given to an enlarged Agriculture Ministry, which now has responsibility for countryside and environmental protection.

But the move leaves key environment decisions in Stephen Byers' Transport Department,which has kept responsibility for planning and other key areas. It also raises the question of how mainly urban green issues - such as waste, recycling and incineration - will be dealt with by the new Departments.

The new Whitehall's green credentials will be put to the test in the immediate future, with three key planning decisions in the new Government's In Tray. They are:

1. NEW NUKES
   

   The Government must decide in the near future whether to allow BNFL to open the Sellafield Mixed Oxide Plutonium (MOX) plant, which will make fuel rods, that could power a new generation of nuclear plants. Mr Blair promised during the General Election that "we have absolutely no plans to expand nuclear power" (Press Conference, June 5th, source: Reuters) but Downing Street and the DTI have been pushing for MOX to be given the green light, despite a lack of orders. FOE is taking the Government to court over the MOX plant.
   

   Margaret Beckett should say NO to MOX
   

2. THE HASTINGS BYPASSES
   

   The Government must decide in the near future whether to approve the building of the Hastings bypasses, which would rip through three nationally important wildlife sites and the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The road scheme, if building proceeds will see the first major road protests of this Parliament. Labour threatened to build 100 new bypasses in their Election manifesto, but promised to consider the environmental implications of each scheme.
   

   Stephen Byers should say NO to the Hastings bypasses
   

3. UNSUSTAINABLE AIRPORT EXPANSION
   

   The Government must decide on the inspector's report into the building of Terminal 5 at Heathrow. FOE and local campaigners oppose Terminal 5. The inspector is reported to have backed Terminal 5, but only on tough conditions including limits on flight and passenger numbers based on BAA's own evidence to the Inquiry. In the past, Labour has promised to abide by the Inspector's recommendations. But civil aviation's active and New Labour-connected political lobbyists will be pressing the Government to drop the Inspector's conditions.
   

   Stephen Byers should say NO to the aviation lobbyists and make sure that BAA keeps its own promises on Terminal 5.
   

Commenting, FOE Executive Director Charles Secrett said:

"No Whitehall structure is ever perfect. But this new structure raises vital questions about this Government's approach to environmental issues. How can planning decisions be green if they are no longer taken by the environment department? Will the new transport department blithely give the go ahead for damaging new road schemes and uncontrolled airport growth? Are we about to see a pro-nuclear U-turn over MOX? Labour's green record so far has been mediocre. Will the new Whitehall shove the environment even further down the priority list? The key decisions now awaiting Ministers mean that these crucial questions cannot be evaded for very long."

Other key green decisions also confront ministers, including:

The Ilisu Dam

The Government must decide in the near future whether to approve an export credit of up to £200 million for Balfour Beatty for its part in the building of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey. The dam would destroy dozens of Kurdish towns and villages including the world historic site of Hasankeyf, lead to thousands of Kurds losing their homes without adequate compensation, and threaten conflict over water resources with Syria and Iraq. Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt should say no to the export credit application.

A Tax on Oil Profits

In the past year, oil companies have made record profits as world oil prices rise, despite selling products which damage our climate at prices that hurt the rural poor. Chancellor Gordon Brown should impose a windfall tax on oil company profits and spend the revenues on renewable energy and public transport.

A Green Future for Farming

The Government is to announce a Commission to consider the future of arming, after the foot and mouth disaster. The Commission must be independent of the intensive farming lobby, and must have terms of reference that allow it to look at the economic, social, and environmental benefits of competing farming methods, including organic and low intensity farming.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust