Overview
- Ministers opened a consultation to let the Environment Agency use the civil standard of proof for minor to moderate offences and to cap civil-standard fines at either £350,000 or £500,000.
- The plan proposes automatic penalties for specific, obvious breaches with fixed amounts of £10,000, £15,000 or £20,000.
- Government modelling estimates annual sector costs of £50 million to £67 million, with penalties to be borne by shareholders rather than added to customer bills.
- Officials note that 98% of permit breaches were classed as minor last year and that prosecutions are rare under the higher criminal standard.
- Environment Agency leaders back the proposals, while campaigners argue the caps are too low and urge broader reforms including consolidating regulators.