The CIEH will seek to re-establish its Associate Parliamentary Group, following the election, it announced this week, in a new programme of lobbying.
CIEH Executive Director of Professional Services, Tim Everett said:
“In the last parliament, the group, chaired by Joan Walley MP, was very successful in raising the profile of environmental and public health.
“This is useful generally, but it also helps us during the passage of particular pieces of legislation, like the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act, for us to have allies and supporters in both houses.”
The election had produced 232 new MPs, said Mr Everett. All would be contacted and sent copies of the CIEH’s Manifesto for 2010 in the coming weeks. There would also be a focus on attracting new MPs into the Associate Parliamentary Group.
He added:
“The new MPs, including a Green and those who helped us with the Sunbeds Act, give us a good opportunity to restate our case.
“Of course, we’ll be campaigning on the main themes of the manifesto — the effects of climate change, improving health inequalities, helping the economy by promoting good business and securing safe and decent homes. But in the tough budgetary climate that we face, some other important issues have come to the fore.
“They are ensuring that potential cutbacks in the public sector do not jeopardise the health, or safety, of the public and reminding the government that good regulation is good, not bad, for the economy. It will also be important to promote new and different ways of securing improved environmental and public health outcomes.”
Mr Everett said the CIEH would be seeking meetings with key secretaries of state and ministers now that ministerial positions had been announced.