The range of new civil powers - which have been welcomed by the NFU and EEF, the manufacturers organisation - given under the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008, will increase the options available to regulators and include fixed and variable monetary penalties and compliance notices.

The sanctions will provide an alternative to criminal prosecutions for regulators which is more proportionate and reflects the fact that the majority of non-compliance by businesses is unintentional.

Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, said:

These new powers will help make the system fairer for the law-abiding majority of businesses and will give regulators a practical and effective alternative to prosecution. The Environment Agency and Natural England, the first bodies to be given these powers, will have access to flexible and proportionate sanctions that will strengthen the protection of the environment and human health when tackling businesses who break the law.

Ian Lucas, Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, said:

Creating a more flexible and proportionate regulatory system is at the heart of the Governments better regulation agenda. The award of these new powers is a significant step forward that will provide an alternative to costly and time consuming criminal proceedings. It will mean businesses will benefit from a more straightforward process with sanctions that better fit their non-compliance and send a clear signal that the worst offenders should receive the toughest criminal penalties.

The powers, conceived by Professor Richard Macrory, were designed to create a modern and targeted system that will give regulators greater flexibility to impose more appropriate sanctions on non-compliant businesses. The Environment Agency and Natural England will be able for the first time to accept a voluntary commitment from a business to remedy non-compliance.

The existing system was considered to be too reliant on costly and time consuming criminal prosecutions. The new powers will not replace existing informal methods such as advice and guidance. Businesses and individuals will have access to an appeals process through an independent and impartial tribunal.

The criminal courts already have substantial powers to impose proportionate sanctions for environmental offences. The Government also has plans for new sentencing powers to enable the courts to put restoration ahead of monetary penalties. Courts would be able to remove the financial benefit from non-compliance and order environmental restoration and restitution to local communities.

Gareth Stace, Head of Climate < Environment Policy at the EEF, the manufacturers organisation, said:

We support the Governments aims to create a fairer, more effective and more proportionate enforcement regime. Defras Fairer and Better Environmental Enforcement (FBEE) project has actively engaged with manufacturers on the introduction of these new civil powers for environmental non-compliance and has done a successful job in addressing a number of manufacturer concerns. We remain encouraged that the transition of civil sanctions from legislature to regulator can now be fairly and equitably applied.

Andrew Clark, Head of Policy Services, the National Farmers Union said:

We appreciate the work that Defra and its regulators have put in to develop a more flexible and proportionate approach to environmental enforcement, and for their having involved us in that work. The availability of sanctions other than just criminal prosecution in dealing with businesses which do not comply with the law is long overdue.