Part 1: Environmental Governance Chapter 2: The Office for Environmental Protection Section 30: Advising on changes to environmental law etc.
Section 30 sets out the circumstances in which the OEP can give advice to Ministers of the Crown, and how this advice must be published and may be laid before Parliament.
	Subsections (1), (2) and (4) enable a Minister to require the OEP to provide written advice on proposed changes to environmental law, or on any other matter relating to the natural environment. The OEP must take into consideration any specific matters the Minister outlined in their request when providing this advice, as per subsection (2). The natural environment is defined in this Act in section 44. For example, the OEP could be asked by the government to give recommendations on proposals to make amendments to the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, or about a proposal to include additional goals in the environmental improvement plan. Subsection (3) provides a power for the OEP to give written advice to a Minister concerning any proposed changes to environmental law.
	Subsection (5) requires the OEP to publish its advice, along with details of the specific request and any matters it was required to take into account, if it was asked to provide advice by a Minister. The publication of this information ensures transparency in the relationship between the OEP and any Minister asking it for advice.
	Subsection (6) provides that the relevant Minister may lay the OEP’s advice and any response to it before Parliament. This is a discretionary power to reduce burden on Parliament. For example, where advice has been sought by a Minister regarding a specific technical detail that is apolitical, the Minister can decide not to lay this advice before Parliament.