MSPs PASSED new laws last night requiring Scotland’s public sector to raise environmental standards amid opposition claims that they would cost up to £12 million a year.

The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Bill will require projects, such as plans by NHS boards or enterprise agencies to be “green-proofed” while still on paper.

But as well as raising concern over costs, the Conservatives said that the legislation was pointless as the environmental regulations were already in place. The Bill, which ministers claim would put Scotland ahead of the rest of Europe on environmental protection, would require the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland to be consulted on all public-sector strategies that raise environmental questions.

Existing regulations have focused mainly on land use but the Bill, agreed by 98 votes to 12, would require assessments to be carried out in much wider areas. However, Alex Johnstone, the Tories’ environment spokesman, said that the Bill would create another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy. Mr Johnstone, whose party opposed the Bill, pointed out that the Babtie group, the infrastructure consultancy company, had estimated the annual cost of environmental assessments to the authorities at £7 million to £12.5 million.

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