---

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I am grateful to the Minister for his interpretation of the situation. As noble Lords will have noticed, I have three more stand part objections later in the Committee proceedings. So at this stage I would just like to follow up my three questions very shortly. I asked whether this clause was wider than a similar clause in the predecessor Acts to the Bill because of the statement that the position of the successor bodies, Natural England and the others in this Bill, is similar to that of their predecessors. So, it is the rules of the game of their predecessors which are of particular interest to me, for better or for worse. I asked another question. The Minister essentially replied that directions are a weapon of last resort. In a subsequent debate I shall touch on unreasonableness, which is the test of whether you have to move in and give directions of last resort. If that is the situation then that is one thing. However, I also asked whether any draft directions were intended, which would come into effect either immediately after the Bill is enacted or shortly thereafter. As the clause is so widely drawn, I believe that it would be right for the House to see any draft directions and to debate them at a later stage.