Call for Evidence

The Environmental Audit Committee is inviting written evidence submissions to support the second one-off session under our Mapping the path to net zero workstream, titled ‘Mapping the path to net zero: Local government and net zero in England’. This session is scheduled to take place in September, with further details to be published in due course. This session is related to issues raised in the National Audit Office’s report into Local government and net zero in England, published 16 July 2021.

The Committee is inviting written submissions on:

• What should local authorities’ roles and responsibilities in reaching net zero by 2050 be? How clear are the expectations about the role of local authorities?
• What are the priorities for change or clarification to align the national planning framework with net zero?
• What will need to be in place to ensure that the UK infrastructure bank loans to local authorities for net zero work are as effective as possible?
• What funding and resources are available for local authority work on net zero, and what are the priorities for improving local authority funding?
• What should government’s analysis of net zero funding to local authorities focus on in the next Spending Review?
• How is central government co-ordinating its engagement with local government on net zero?
• What role can local community groups play in helping local authorities achieve their net zero ambitions?

Written evidence should be submitted through the Committee’s web portal by 5pm Thursday 26 August. Respondents need not answer all the questions and evidence need not be limited to these questions. Submissions should be not more than 3,000 words but shorter submissions are welcomed and encouraged.

We encourage members of underrepresented groups to submit written evidence. We aim to have diverse panels of Select Committee witnesses and ask organisations to bear this in mind when we ask them to choose a representative. We are currently monitoring the diversity of our witnesses.

It is recommended that all submitters familiarise themselves with the Guidance on giving evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons which outlines word count, format, document size, and content restrictions.