Contributions
1,496 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)My hon. Friend has made a powerful case for these amendments to be included in the Bill, and has said most of the things that I wanted to say about them. What I will add for the…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Sixth sitting)For the elucidation of the Committee, I confirm that the intention of the Opposition is to get to the end of clause 6 in reasonably good order, so it will not be necessary, I…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)I beg to move amendment 178, in clause 1, page 1, line 17, at end insert— “(3A) Targets set within the priority area of air quality must include targets for— (a) the ambient 24…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)I apologise, Sir Roger, for having inadvertently deknighted you earlier. I do not wish to continue with that practice any further. It is a new world, but it is quite useful, I…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)As the Minister said, the fact that we are discussing these matters, and that our words are going on the record, is useful in buttressing what is in the legislation. I am grateful…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)We have not yet got beyond the first page of the Bill because, I suggest, it is a particularly important page for the rest of the Bill. These two amendments seek to put clearly on…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)I beg to move amendment 1, in clause 1, page 1, line 11, leave out subsection (2) and insert— “(2) The Secretary of State must exercise the power in subsection (1) so as to set…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)On a point of order, Mr Gale. I want to be clear that amendment 103 and new clause 6 are to be withdrawn, with no effect on new clause 1.17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)I wonder if the Minister could help me. Let us take the example of a habitat in extremely poor condition and facing further decline. That habitat could be significantly improved…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)For the time being, yes. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)The Office for Environmental Protection can intervene against the Minister, but the Minister will see later on in the Bill that not even the office has to be set up under these…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)Mr Gale, I think you can gather that I am not terribly convinced. I do not doubt the Minister’s sincerity for a minute. Indeed, I wonder whether, had the Minister been in post…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)It could be Theresa Must.17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)Does the Minister not accept that, as I pointed out in my analysis of the Energy Act 2013, if a number of obligations or “musts” in a clause are subservient to a fundamental…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)But I might do if no consideration at all is given to this particular point. I hope that the Minister will be able to come at least some way towards me in reshaping the Bill so…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Fifth sitting)I beg to move amendment 79, in clause 1, page 1, line 7, leave out “may” and insert “must”. This amendment seeks to ensure the power given in this Bill to the Secretary of State…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Sixth sitting)Perhaps I can clarify the issue. My understanding of the term “creaking ship” is that it is a ship that is under sail, flourishing and driving through the water, and whose timbers…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Sixth sitting)I think we were aiming to get to the end of clause 6, so this is the last amendment that we want to raise this afternoon. This amendment seeks to ensure that measures that are…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Sixth sitting)I think that does provide clarification, to a reasonable extent. The amendment sought to copper-bottom guarantees, but the ship can sail quite well under the circumstances set out…17 Mar 2020HANSARDEnvironment Bill (Sixth sitting)I beg to move amendment 86, in clause 6, page 4, line 41, at end insert— “(9) In carrying out a review under this section, the Secretary of State must consider whether any targets…17 Mar 2020