Contributions
1,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 99, in clause 26, page 15, line 31, at end insert “(including international environmental law)”. Again, this it is a fairly straightforward amendment. For…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I thank the Minister for that explanation. I am not entirely sure that it completely satisfies our concerns, but under the circumstances we do not wish to press the amendment to a…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 98, in clause 25, page 15, line 26, at end insert “including setting out what action will be taken”. This is a fairly simple and straightforward amendment,…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)On a point of order, Sir George. Hon. Members will have noticed that amendment 204 is consequential. We had to vote on it because of the inclusion of the two amendments in this…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I do share my hon. Friend’s puzzlement because we appear to be having things in different ways. If the question of seriousness were so straightforward, we would not have to worry…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)That is kind of you, Sir George; thank you. These amendments follow on from the debate that we had on the last series of amendments. As the Minister said, they would make…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I put my pen up, Sir George, but that is probably more appropriate for the auction room than the Bill Committee. I will try to raise my pen higher or make some other sign in…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)Yes. Of course the emphasis is on the OEP, but the test of what is serious is outwith the remit of the OEP. The hon. Gentleman can look at other explanatory notes in this regard.…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)The central point is that it ought to be within the remit of the OEP to decide what constitutes a cumulation, to the point that something becomes serious. The amendments take that…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I am not sure whether the hon. Member has addressed himself to the totality of these issues. I will raise a question concerning the explanatory notes and the notes on the purport…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)Thank you, Sir George. I am sure that all Committee members will abide by your guidance in the remaining sessions. My hon. Friend the Member for Putney has hit the nail on the…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)rose—05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)No. The Secretary of State can decide by guidance how “serious” is to be interpreted regarding the OEP’s actions.05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)We are in an interesting set of circumstances regarding these amendments, and some others that are still to come. Essentially, the Government are amending their own Bill, so on…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I have effectively concluded my comments, Sir George. I hope the Minister will write to me shortly to give a clear indication about what that package means, and we can go from…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the Minister for the interesting reply that—he will have to forgive me for saying this—he read out from the piece of paper put in front of him. Nevertheless, that piece of…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)Yes, indeed. My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It indicates that the thinking when the Bill was constructed in the first instance did not take account of those distinctions. We…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)I think we can claim a little collective win on this. We have been concerned about the possible clash between the remit of the Committee on Climate Change and that of the OEP,…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)My hon. Friends have made powerful contributions on the overall independence of the OEP and the circumstances under which that independence can be enhanced or undermined. In terms…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Tenth sitting)Thank you, Sir George. We can perhaps talk about this offline, so to speak. I am happy to stand by what I said previously, but I would welcome discussing it further with the hon.…05 Nov 2020