In 1994 the Department of the Environment published a consultation paper entitled, Paying for our Past. The outcome of this was the policy document, ' Framework for Contaminated Land', published in November 1994. This useful review emphasised a number of key points:

• The long-standing statutory nuisance powers had provided an essentially sound basis for dealing with contaminated land
• Action should only be taken where the contamination posed actual or potential risks to health or the environment and there are affordable ways of doing so
• Concern related to past pollution only (there were effective regimes in place to control future sources of land pollution)

The Government was committed to the, 'polluter pays principle', and 'suitable for use approach'.