EH manifesto sets out wish list for next Government

CIEH has published its manifesto for environmental health – championing housing, food safety, environmental protection, health and safety at work and public health – ahead of December’s general election.

The document calls for the next Government to act on key areas in environmental health and policy recommendations. It wants to see “political parties and candidates commit to supporting environmental health and the crucial work of EHPs”.

CIEH argues strongly for what it sees as essential improvements, including updating building control policies to ensure homes are healthy, safe and energy efficient and can mitigate the effects of climate change. It also wants to see a mandatory national registration scheme for all landlords and agents in England.

Improvements in energy efficiency must be made a priority across all UK nations and adequate funding be provided to speed up the process, with households in fuel poverty targeted first.

It calls for a commitment to maintaining and improving the UK’s high food standards post-Brexit and in all future trade deals, as well as the appointment of a new minister for food to oversee the consultation and delivery of the National Food Strategy.

The next Government, according to the manifesto, must meet its commitment to halving food loss and waste by 2030 as per UN Sustainable Development Goals. And to enable consumers in England to make informed choices about what food they eat, food hygiene ratings must be made mandatory.

Post-Brexit, new environmental regulators must be appointed that are “transparent, accountable and completely independent of all UK governments”. It calls for the new Government to introduce legally binding air quality targets, committed to reaching World Health Organization guidelines in the shortest possible time.

A UK-wide approach must be taken to reducing air pollution from road transport but also UK-wide legislation is being called for to urgently to reduce all carbon emissions – including housing, transport, infrastructure, and the economy.

With 581,000 workplace injuries taking place each year across Great Britain, health and safety standards post-Brexit must be protected, the manifesto warned, urging for adequate resources to be made available for local authorities to protect employees.

On cosmetic procedures, an England-wide licensing scheme should be established underpinned with standards and training requirements for all practitioners.