My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee on this Bill. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. House in Committee accordingly. [The DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Lord Elton) in the Chair.] Clause 1 [Constitution]:

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee on this Bill. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. House in Committee accordingly. [The DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Lord Elton) in the Chair.] Clause 1 [Constitution]:

moved Amendment No. 1:"Page 1, line 7, after ““as”” insert ““the Commission for””" The noble Lord said: In speaking to this amendment, I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 2 to 224, with the exception of the amendments listed in the subsequent groups up to and preceding Amendment No. 224, as shown on the groupings list. I hope...

moved Amendment No. 1:"Page 1, line 7, after ““as”” insert ““the Commission for””" The noble Lord said: In speaking to this amendment, I shall also speak to Amendments Nos. 2 to 224, with the exception of the amendments listed in the subsequent groups up to and preceding Amendment No. 224, as shown on the groupings list. I hope...

I am grateful to all those who have taken part in this debate and supported my gentle little argument with the Minister, who has given a somewhat disappointing but, nonetheless, not impossible reply, for which I am very grateful. At least he said that he will look at it. We will have to...

I am grateful to all those who have taken part in this debate and supported my gentle little argument with the Minister, who has given a somewhat disappointing but, nonetheless, not impossible reply, for which I am very grateful. At least he said that he will look at it. We will have to...

moved Amendment No. 9:"Page 1, line 13, at end insert ““or other persons””" The noble Baroness said: The amendment is designed to discover to whom the functions of English Nature and the Countryside Agency, as they are dissolved, should be transferred. The Bill simply refers to them as being transferred to Natural England....

moved Amendment No. 9:"Page 1, line 13, at end insert ““or other persons””" The noble Baroness said: The amendment is designed to discover to whom the functions of English Nature and the Countryside Agency, as they are dissolved, should be transferred. The Bill simply refers to them as being transferred to Natural England....

In following the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer, I speak to Amendment No. 10, which is grouped with Amendment No. 9. We are well aware—because we have been told—that the Rural Development Service will be transferred en bloc, I think, to become a part of Natural England. But that is not in...

In following the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer, I speak to Amendment No. 10, which is grouped with Amendment No. 9. We are well aware—because we have been told—that the Rural Development Service will be transferred en bloc, I think, to become a part of Natural England. But that is not in...

Perhaps I may intervene. I had no intention of doing so. I entirely accept what my noble friend Lord Dixon-Smith and, indeed, the noble Lord, Lord Carter, said. Natural England, as I think many of us said at Second Reading, is a pretty unsatisfactory and rather daft name. I cannot for the life of me—maybe I am...

Perhaps I may intervene. I had no intention of doing so. I entirely accept what my noble friend Lord Dixon-Smith and, indeed, the noble Lord, Lord Carter, said. Natural England, as I think many of us said at Second Reading, is a pretty unsatisfactory and rather daft name. I cannot for the life of me—maybe I am...

I support this proposal. There is confusion in the country. ““Natural England”” means many things to many different people. It certainly does not mean Natural England to those of us who live and work with it and see it in that way. If the words could be altered, it would give...

I support this proposal. There is confusion in the country. ““Natural England”” means many things to many different people. It certainly does not mean Natural England to those of us who live and work with it and see it in that way. If the words could be altered, it would give...

I declare my interests as a farmer who deals with SSSIs and nature reserves. This name, which has been explained as natural yoghurt among other things, sticks in my gullet. English Nature, as it is now called, spends most of its time asking to alter the countryside. Therefore, I can hardly see...

I declare my interests as a farmer who deals with SSSIs and nature reserves. This name, which has been explained as natural yoghurt among other things, sticks in my gullet. English Nature, as it is now called, spends most of its time asking to alter the countryside. Therefore, I can hardly see...

I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate. I wonder whether the historians among us can tell us whether this is the largest first group of amendments ever in Committee; it must be close to it. My reply is intended to be brief. That does not mean for...

I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate. I wonder whether the historians among us can tell us whether this is the largest first group of amendments ever in Committee; it must be close to it. My reply is intended to be brief. That does not mean for...

As the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, pointed out, the Public Bill Office has done a first class job in listing all the amendments that are consequential to this amendment. This will be the largest group of amendments and, I hope, the shortest debate in the Committee on the Bill. I am sure that...

As the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, pointed out, the Public Bill Office has done a first class job in listing all the amendments that are consequential to this amendment. This will be the largest group of amendments and, I hope, the shortest debate in the Committee on the Bill. I am sure that...

Of course names are important. I welcome this very short debate, to which I do not intend to contribute for long. I simply make the point that the existence of any of these bodies is yet to be decided because, although I understand they all exist in shadow, this legislation has not yet passed...

Of course names are important. I welcome this very short debate, to which I do not intend to contribute for long. I simply make the point that the existence of any of these bodies is yet to be decided because, although I understand they all exist in shadow, this legislation has not yet passed...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a partner in a small family farm. When I first heard that this organisation was being called Natural England, I thought ““What on earth does that mean?””. I think that the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, is right: we need to have something that describes this more fully. Natural...

My Lords, I declare an interest as a partner in a small family farm. When I first heard that this organisation was being called Natural England, I thought ““What on earth does that mean?””. I think that the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, is right: we need to have something that describes this more fully. Natural...

My Lords, following on from what has just been said, I started to think about the potential problems of the Rural Payments Agency. I know from my wife’s experience on the farm that all cannot be well with the RPA, despite the Minister’s replies at Question Time today. For instance, despite the...

My Lords, following on from what has just been said, I started to think about the potential problems of the Rural Payments Agency. I know from my wife’s experience on the farm that all cannot be well with the RPA, despite the Minister’s replies at Question Time today. For instance, despite the...

I am extremely grateful to my noble friend for raising these important issues. I am bound to say that I too am in some confusion over exactly how certain aspects of the responsibilities of the RDS are to be deployed. I have before me the briefing paper distributed prior to the Committee stage. It...

I am extremely grateful to my noble friend for raising these important issues. I am bound to say that I too am in some confusion over exactly how certain aspects of the responsibilities of the RDS are to be deployed. I have before me the briefing paper distributed prior to the Committee stage. It...

Before the Minister sits down, I still have a degree of confusion about this. As things stand, if a farmer were to apply for a grant that was of a rural development as well as an agri-environment nature, that would be dealt with by the Rural Development Service. But if and...

Before the Minister sits down, I still have a degree of confusion about this. As things stand, if a farmer were to apply for a grant that was of a rural development as well as an agri-environment nature, that would be dealt with by the Rural Development Service. But if and...

My Lords, I will deal with these amendments in terms of why the Bill is as it is drafted. I will do my best with that. As far as these important broader questions of governance are concerned, the noble Baroness is right: I will not be in a position today to answer her...

My Lords, I will deal with these amendments in terms of why the Bill is as it is drafted. I will do my best with that. As far as these important broader questions of governance are concerned, the noble Baroness is right: I will not be in a position today to answer her...

I thank noble Lords who have spoken in this illuminating debate. The Minister is right that as we progress through the Bill, we may come to understand more clearly the Government’s intention. It will put us on a better footing at Report to know what should be altered in the Bill....

I thank noble Lords who have spoken in this illuminating debate. The Minister is right that as we progress through the Bill, we may come to understand more clearly the Government’s intention. It will put us on a better footing at Report to know what should be altered in the Bill....

I will give the noble Earl a definitive answer in the letter I will send his noble friend. However, I think that he has it right. My reluctance to confirm that absolutely is that the rural development regulation is currently being discussed—it is through the European process. Its implementation from 2007 onwards is...

I will give the noble Earl a definitive answer in the letter I will send his noble friend. However, I think that he has it right. My reluctance to confirm that absolutely is that the rural development regulation is currently being discussed—it is through the European process. Its implementation from 2007 onwards is...

In view of what my noble friend has been discussing in terms of the operation of the boards, I find it absolutely unbelievable that the Secretary of State should be able to appoint the chairman, the deputy chairman, all the board members and the chief executive. We in the corporate sector,...

In view of what my noble friend has been discussing in terms of the operation of the boards, I find it absolutely unbelievable that the Secretary of State should be able to appoint the chairman, the deputy chairman, all the board members and the chief executive. We in the corporate sector,...

moved Amendment No. 21:"Page 44, line 14, after ““appointed”” insert ““following an interview and open selection procedure,””" The noble Baroness said: In moving this amendment, I will also speak to Amendments Nos. 22, 23, 26, 31, 36, 43, 44, 49, 53 and 98—quite a batting order. I was not minded to be difficult, but one of the things that is taxing our minds is the...

moved Amendment No. 21:"Page 44, line 14, after ““appointed”” insert ““following an interview and open selection procedure,””" The noble Baroness said: In moving this amendment, I will also speak to Amendments Nos. 22, 23, 26, 31, 36, 43, 44, 49, 53 and 98—quite a batting order. I was not minded to be difficult, but one of the things that is taxing our minds is the...