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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 330:"Page 28, line 8, after ““State”” insert ““, following a process of open and fair competition regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and””" The noble Baroness said: Earlier in Committee we moved amendments calling for the appointments taken to follow the process of open and fair competition. On this occasion we are looking to the appointment of the chairman of the Inland Waterways. The appointment is to be made by the Secretary of State after having consulted the Scottish Ministers. The amendment is really to seek clarification on the way that this will be done. I wish to speak also to Amendment No. 333, which is a probing amendment. I understand that the council will be set up with a minimum of 13 members, two of whom are to be appointed by Scottish Ministers. What is the nature of advice that the council is likely to consider appropriate and to what or to whom will it be appropriate? Is the advice appropriate because of the knowledge and expertise of the people offering it, or is it because the council feels that it should meet the needs of the Secretary of State? Will they have some guidance as to what is required? It is perhaps even more difficult to understand why that body of people with only two Scottish members should be set up to offer similarly appropriate advice to Scottish Ministers. I beg to move.