Schedule 2: Improving the natural environment: Northern Ireland Part 1: Environmental Improvement Plans Annual reports on environmental improvement plans
Paragraph 2 establishes a duty on the Department to produce annual reports on the implementation of the environmental improvement plan and on whether the environment is improving. It explains when and how these reports should be published.
	Sub-paragraph (1) requires the Department to prepare annual reports on the implementation of the current environmental improvement plan.
	Sub-paragraph (2) requires that these reports must describe what has been done to implement the plan and consider whether the natural environment (or aspects of it) is improving during the period to which the report relates. Consideration as to whether the environment (or aspects of it) has improved must have regard to information gathered under paragraph 5.
	Sub-paragraph (3) specifies the period of time annual reports on an environmental improvement plan must relate to, which is 12 months.
	Sub-paragraph (4) requires the Department to lay each annual report in the Northern Ireland Assembly within four months of the end of the period to which it relates.
	Sub-paragraph (5) requires the Department to publish annual reports laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly under Paragraph 2.