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1,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I regret to say that I have not yet been elevated to that position.05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)There are a number of existing laws, protocols and arrangements for all public bodies that give them, in certain circumstances, discretion not to do certain things, such as in…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)With respect, independence has nothing to do with an authority not doing what it should do or just deciding that it cannot be bothered to do something or other. That is not…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is not a question of undermining the integrity of the OEP at all. As the hon. Gentleman says, it does not exist yet, although bits of it are gradually coming into existence and…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)That is an interesting point. This clause does not appear to be able to decide whether the OEP should or should not do something. Having said that it should be a strong,…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 5, in clause 30, page 18, line 6, leave out “may” and insert “must” Where the OEP carries out an investigation this amendment seeks to ensure that it is…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)Likewise, although we think it would be a good idea to have the words in amendment 117 in the Bill, we are a little reassured by what the Minister has said, so I beg to ask leave…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)Amendment 117 seeks clarity about what a public authority is. Hon. Members will see from perusing the amendment paper that it is not an action amendment; it does not ask the…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She emphasises that the proper relationship is between the OEP, the Minister and Parliament, not the OEP, the Minister and maybe Parliament.…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am a bit bemused by the passage that the Minister has just read out. The process here is that the Minister is laying something before Parliament. That is all the Minister is…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 117, in clause 28, page 16, line 30, after “means a” insert— “Minister of the Crown, a government department and public body, including a local authority,…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)Sorry, Gloucester—it is in the west country, so that is okay. I hope our listeners in the west country will not be offended by that comment. As the hon. Member for Gloucester said…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Eleventh sitting)The Opposition’s opinion is that these amendments, which are connected, as the Minister has explained, constitute a serious undermining of the powers of the OEP and its ability to…05 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)Indeed; my hon. Friend shines a light on it. If one were of a suspicious character, one might say, “Why is this line here anyway?”. As the Minister said, the Treasury and the MOD…03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)I can understand the hon. Member indicating that this may be semantics, and indeed, it may be. I was attempting to elucidate the question of whether our being an original…03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)That is true, but nevertheless there is the question of the extent to which that commitment itself is a freestanding commitment or additional, via EU retained law. I think the…03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)Has the Minister thought about the extent to which the Aarhus convention is fully implemented in the UK, either via retained EU law or the existing domestic system? In terms of…03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)I appreciate that the Minister has already replied, but I wonder whether she could—03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)The explanatory statement for this particular amendment relates to the question of securing better or further effecting full compliance with the Aarhus convention, which is a…03 Nov 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Ninth sitting)I beg to move amendment 95, in clause 20, page 12, line 32, at end insert— “(7) The Secretary of State must— (a) keep under consideration whether there are any steps which they…03 Nov 2020