Continuity versus change: enforcing Scottish pollution control policy in the 1990s

Abstract

A distinctive feature of the recent literature on environmental regulation in the UK is the emphasis placed upon the influence of the European Union (EU) in transferring a process characterized by informality, pragmatism and flexibility to a more formal footing. By comparison, relatively little attention has been paid to the domestic policy context for the formalization of pollution control policy. This paper addresses this shortcoming in the literature by charting the evolution of environmental regulation within a specifically Scottish context during the 1990s. It does so by examining water pollution control, as undertaken by Scotland's River Purification Authorities (RPAs) prior to the creation of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on 1 April 1996. The paper argues that, in this area of pollution control, the formalization of the regulatory process was primarily attributable to developments emanating from the domestic policy environment as opposed to external pressures exerted by the EU. It goes on to assess the impact of RPAs' more formal enforcement style upon the regulatory process. Finally, the paper examines whether the trend towards formal enforcement has continued under the auspices of SEPA. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.