Defra responds to OEP review on duty to have regard to EPPS
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its response to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)’s February 2025 review of the duty to have due regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS). The response addresses the OEP’s eight recommendations aimed at improving implementation of the duty. Defra welcomed the review and confirmed its plans to strengthen the link between the EPPS and the government’s environmental targets, plans, and strategies, particularly through planned guidance updates and the revised Environmental Improvement Plan. It will also consider the OEP’s recommendations on guidance as part of ongoing work on the EPPS toolkit and updates to cross-government policymaking guidance. While there is no statutory requirement to publish policy-specific details on the application of the duty, Defra emphasised its commitment to transparency regarding the environmental implications of government policies. A Defra-led review, due by November 2025, will help address the OEP’s recommendations by assessing the impact of the EPPS duty and its interaction with broader environmental commitments.