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Queen's speech: FOE tells Government to "act now" for the environment
13 May 1997
Friends of the Earth today (13/5/97) urged the Government to include primary environmental legislation in its first Queen's Speech, along with complementary fiscal and public expenditure measures in its first Budget. Friends of the Earth is recommending that the Government should introduce a range of measures including:
- introducing a new Wildlife Bill to give greater protection to Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- passing a National Road Traffic Reduction Bill setting national targets for reducing traffic levels
-ensuring high energy standards for new homes and an ambitious energy conservation programme for fuel-poor households
- 'greening the budget' by: cutting VAT on energy saving goods from 17.5 per cent to the same rate as fuel use; using the windfall tax to fund a nationwide home energy conservation programme; extending the landfill levy to incineration; introducing green Vehicle Excise Duty with differentiated rates depending on energy efficiency and pollution standards
Charles Secrett, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth said:
"The Government must fulfil the environmental commitments in its Manifesto and the Queen's Speech provides the perfect opportunity to establish its green credentials at the beginning of the legislative programme. Similarly, the first Budget of this administration will be a key test of its real commitment to environmental issues and could form an ideal vehicle for implementing policies that are good for the planet, and for people."
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2008
