The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) protects and improves the environment by holding the government and other public authorities to account. It scrutinises governmental environment improvement plans, monitors the implementation of environmental law and enforces against serious breaches of environmental law by public authorities. This helps ensure the UK’s environmental policies are of a high standard and have meaningful practical effect. It was established by the Environment Act 2021. While it is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), it is intended to be operationally independent with ministers having no say in its work or decision-making. In turn, the OEP is required to act objectively and impartially. However, its actual independence has been a subject of debate since its inception.
