It may be helpful if I briefly set out the rationale behind Clause 3. Natural England will be a key source of independent expert advice to government on environmental matters and a statutory consultee on many planning processes. To carry out that role, it is vital that Natural England remains up-to-date in...

It may be helpful if I briefly set out the rationale behind Clause 3. Natural England will be a key source of independent expert advice to government on environmental matters and a statutory consultee on many planning processes. To carry out that role, it is vital that Natural England remains up-to-date in...

moved Amendment No. 203:"Page 6, line 3, leave out paragraphs (b) and (c)." The noble Baroness said: This is a simple, clarifying amendment that seeks to identify how exactly and to what extent Natural England will use its so-called incidental powers. I have been reassured in consultation that it is quite natural for...

moved Amendment No. 203:"Page 6, line 3, leave out paragraphs (b) and (c)." The noble Baroness said: This is a simple, clarifying amendment that seeks to identify how exactly and to what extent Natural England will use its so-called incidental powers. I have been reassured in consultation that it is quite natural for...

If we were wrong about Amendment No. 192 I apologise to the noble Baroness. Certainly, I am slightly taken by surprise by a Clause 12 stand part debate, but the noble Baroness is absolutely entitled. Let me do my best with my surprise to answer what she said. The clause provides certainty and removes any ambiguity...

If we were wrong about Amendment No. 192 I apologise to the noble Baroness. Certainly, I am slightly taken by surprise by a Clause 12 stand part debate, but the noble Baroness is absolutely entitled. Let me do my best with my surprise to answer what she said. The clause provides certainty and removes any ambiguity...

There is no indication of that on the Marshalled List. It is normal to give an indication that you intend to speak to clause stand part.

There is no indication of that on the Marshalled List. It is normal to give an indication that you intend to speak to clause stand part.

It is not our fault. We have tried three times to get it put on. The Deputy Chairman was quite right to raise whether we had indicated our intention to oppose clause stand part. This is my third attempt to try to get it rectified. I am very grateful to the...

It is not our fault. We have tried three times to get it put on. The Deputy Chairman was quite right to raise whether we had indicated our intention to oppose clause stand part. This is my third attempt to try to get it rectified. I am very grateful to the...

If this were to be adopted, would there be a conflict not in the general purposes of the Bill but between Natural England and the Environment Agency? I listened carefully to the speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, and she seemed to imply that there would be...

If this were to be adopted, would there be a conflict not in the general purposes of the Bill but between Natural England and the Environment Agency? I listened carefully to the speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, and she seemed to imply that there would be...

I did not intend to speak to this amendment but I believe that the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, said that it was not intended to give automatic primacy to the environment. The brief from the Campaign to Protect Rural England states:"““The proposal for a conflict resolution mechanism does not mean that natural...

I did not intend to speak to this amendment but I believe that the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, said that it was not intended to give automatic primacy to the environment. The brief from the Campaign to Protect Rural England states:"““The proposal for a conflict resolution mechanism does not mean that natural...

I think that the amendment is essential. A good civil servant is good at weighing up all the alternatives and both sides of an argument equally; he is not there to take political decisions. It is therefore essential that the Civil Service and the people who implement the Bill have a...

I think that the amendment is essential. A good civil servant is good at weighing up all the alternatives and both sides of an argument equally; he is not there to take political decisions. It is therefore essential that the Civil Service and the people who implement the Bill have a...

I echo the comments that this has been a fascinating debate with a huge amount of expertise from noble Lords. We are all grateful for what they have said. I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, that this is an important part of the Bill. It is at this stage, in a sense,...

I echo the comments that this has been a fascinating debate with a huge amount of expertise from noble Lords. We are all grateful for what they have said. I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, that this is an important part of the Bill. It is at this stage, in a sense,...

There has been a fascinating interchange of views and I am swaying in various directions. It is clear that the board of Natural England will have to be a Solomon in its work. Much depends on the drafting. Here I am at one with the noble Baroness, Lady Young. We are talking...

There has been a fascinating interchange of views and I am swaying in various directions. It is clear that the board of Natural England will have to be a Solomon in its work. Much depends on the drafting. Here I am at one with the noble Baroness, Lady Young. We are talking...

I have great sympathy with my noble friend Lady Byford’s amendment. Whether correctly drafted or not, such an amendment is needed. Do we really need to go down this route? The briefing from English Nature says that there certainly are areas that have been given exclusion; 44 SSSIs out of over 1,000 qualify for access...

I have great sympathy with my noble friend Lady Byford’s amendment. Whether correctly drafted or not, such an amendment is needed. Do we really need to go down this route? The briefing from English Nature says that there certainly are areas that have been given exclusion; 44 SSSIs out of over 1,000 qualify for access...

I want to speak as a farmer for a moment. In a sense, the words of the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer—and, to a certain extent, those of the right reverend Prelate, if he will forgive me—lead into mine. We really need to demystify the countryside. Yes, it is...

I want to speak as a farmer for a moment. In a sense, the words of the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer—and, to a certain extent, those of the right reverend Prelate, if he will forgive me—lead into mine. We really need to demystify the countryside. Yes, it is...

Before the noble Baroness’s remarks are too distant, perhaps I may say that she has drawn out some examples of where conflicts might arise between biodiversity and access. However, as no one has yet mentioned the issue of climate change, I should like to lay a different example before the Committee. It...

Before the noble Baroness’s remarks are too distant, perhaps I may say that she has drawn out some examples of where conflicts might arise between biodiversity and access. However, as no one has yet mentioned the issue of climate change, I should like to lay a different example before the Committee. It...

I thank the noble Lord, but that really inclines me to believe that there is a need for a conflict resolution provision, because I believe that it is important for people to experience the joy of biodiversity and landscape. It is equally important to recognise that it is in no one’s interests...

I thank the noble Lord, but that really inclines me to believe that there is a need for a conflict resolution provision, because I believe that it is important for people to experience the joy of biodiversity and landscape. It is equally important to recognise that it is in no one’s interests...

Perhaps I may clarify one point. We are obviously agreed that there is great purpose behind the amendment. It needs to be examined seriously—there is no difference between us on that—and there seems to be some agreement that it could be better expressed. However, the noble Baroness has just suggested that...

Perhaps I may clarify one point. We are obviously agreed that there is great purpose behind the amendment. It needs to be examined seriously—there is no difference between us on that—and there seems to be some agreement that it could be better expressed. However, the noble Baroness has just suggested that...

I support the sentiment of the amendment if not its exact terms; it could do with a little additional clarity. I speak from my background as the president of a wildlife trust, as president of the British Trust for Ornithology and the vice president of the RSPB. The five basic elements of...

I support the sentiment of the amendment if not its exact terms; it could do with a little additional clarity. I speak from my background as the president of a wildlife trust, as president of the British Trust for Ornithology and the vice president of the RSPB. The five basic elements of...

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for tabling the amendment and enabling the debate, because this is perhaps one of the most difficult issues in the Bill. It is certainly the down side of having an integrated agency, because when it was simply English Nature it was much easier to...

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for tabling the amendment and enabling the debate, because this is perhaps one of the most difficult issues in the Bill. It is certainly the down side of having an integrated agency, because when it was simply English Nature it was much easier to...

I declare an interest as chairman of the South Downs Joint Committee, which is a getting-together of the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty and the East Hampshire area of outstanding natural beauty in a committee that is formed by the local authorities together with the Countryside Agency. I have listened...

I declare an interest as chairman of the South Downs Joint Committee, which is a getting-together of the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty and the East Hampshire area of outstanding natural beauty in a committee that is formed by the local authorities together with the Countryside Agency. I have listened...

I take the noble Lord’s point, but there is an important principle at stake, which I think that he, with his reputation of defending the interests of the countryside, will take seriously. As I was about to say, I was brought up on the Sandford principle. I recall that, when it was introduced, I was a...

I take the noble Lord’s point, but there is an important principle at stake, which I think that he, with his reputation of defending the interests of the countryside, will take seriously. As I was about to say, I was brought up on the Sandford principle. I recall that, when it was introduced, I was a...

The semantics here are the words that actually appear in the Bill.

The semantics here are the words that actually appear in the Bill.