ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out the basic framework or organisational structure through which action on environmental health is delivered. These structures are set up by the government of the day so are subject to change, therefore the chapter can only provide an introduction. Indeed, as the chapter was being drafted the UK Coalition Government was announcing substantial changes, including the restructuring of the NHS,1 abolition of Primary Care Trusts and Regional Health Authorities as well as abolition of a number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies or NDPBs (sometimes referred to as quangos2) that will have significant impact on the delivery of environmental and public health in England and Wales. Wherever possible an indication is given as to the future of such bodies. The delivery of environmental health is carried
out through a number of bodies. While local government is mainly responsible for the enforcement of environmental health laws, the legislation itself and the policy guiding it emanates from European, national as well as local bodies and the international context may also be relevant in terms of delivering broad initiatives. As member states of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are both subject to the laws of that body. European Regulations and Directives are present in
most areas of environmental health law so there are laws which are common and harmonised across all Member States of the Union within this field. At international level, the policies of the United Nations and its constituent bodies such as the World Health Organization have an impact at national level in such areas as the spread of infectious disease. Central government is mainly responsible for
policy and for passing laws via Parliament. Some Acts of Parliament apply to all parts of the United Kingdom – and this is usually the case where they are implementing European Union legislation – the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may also enact laws themselves via the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly or the Northern Ireland Assembly. In the Republic of Ireland, the National Parlia-
ment (Oireachtas) consists of the President and two Houses: Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (the Senate) whose functions and powers derive from the Constitution of Ireland enacted on 1st July 1937 (see page 164). The process of law-making involves both statutes
and subordinate legislation. While statutes are passed by the national Parliaments, subordinate legislation is passed by the relevant government department or by local government under powers delegated by central government.
