Mary Creagh, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), has written to Brexit secretary David Davis and Defra Minister Thérèse Coffey to seek assurances that environment legislation will be protected as the UK exits the EU. The EAC chair said the government should at the very least maintain the same level of environmental protection as laws are renationalised.

An estimated 80% of the UK’s environmental legislation comes from Europe, and the EAC has launched an inquiry into the impact Britain’s withdrawal from Europe will have on the natural environment. The inquiry covers the future of agri-environment schemes and biodiversity strategy, and in her letters Ms Creagh asked both the Brexit secretary and Defra minister Thérèse Coffey to give evidence before the committee in the autumn, offering information on what regulatory changes are planned as Brexit comes into effect.

In her letter to Ms Coffey, who was given responsibility for air quality at Defra, the EAC chair said the Committee of MPs is concerned that the EU is seen to have had a positive impact on environmental protection in the UK, and that environmental issues could slide down the list of the government’s priorities. She pointed out that “The government only began to address air pollution following court action based on EU air quality limits.”

Writing to the two ministers, Creagh said, “It is crucial that the government demonstrates its commitment to environmental protection at an early stage in the exit negotiations” and added, “The government should, as a minimum, commit to maintaining in law the existing level of environmental protection currently guaranteed by EU law.”

She said that, in addition to the laws currently set at EU level which govern the UK’s natural environment, government ministers need to explain how they will act on international issues like addressing climate change.

EAC’s inquiry into the natural environment and the EU referendum was opened in late July, and will be accepting submissions until 9th September.