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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 256:"Page 8, line 2, leave out ““may”” and insert ““shall””" The noble Baroness said: Amendment No. 256 is grouped with Amendments Nos. 257 and 258. They are concerned with the information provided by the commission. If the commission is to be established, it should publish documents and provide information, so Amendment No. 256 substitutes ““may”” for ““shall”” thereby putting a duty on the commission. That duty is not an alternative: the commission must publish documents, provide information and assist in the provision of information, because it will not always be in a position to publish itself. In our debates, we have accepted that there is a role for the commission and the provision of information is one of the critical roles that it can play. Apart from monitoring and criticising other organisations, it will gather information. If that information is not published and disseminated as widely as possible, it will be difficult for other organisations to know what the commission’s requirements are. Furthermore, the general public has a right to as a wide an awareness as possible. This clause could do with strengthening and that is what this amendment does. I beg to move.