To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what environmental appraisals of policy his Department has (a) completed, (b) started and (c) planned. [79631]

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions "Policy Appraisal and the Environment: Policy Guidance" leaflet has been circulated (in May 1998) to all senior officials with policy responsibilities with an instruction that environmental appraisals are to be carried out on all new policies and programmes likely to have a significant impact on the environment. The policies currently under consideration have no environmental impact.