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Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill

I agree that there is that risk. Before we sign up to new clause 4(6)(g) and (h), we need to hear much more from the Minister about how a parish or community council can fulfil the requirements set out in any meaningful, efficacious or practical way. Otherwise, the new clause starts to look aspirational, or like gesture legislation, not meaningful legislation. It is time the House put its foot down and put a stop to such nonsense. I lived with it for five years in my service as a Member of the European Parliament, and I thought that I had seen the last of it when I came here to Westminster, but apparently not. Here we are, in the 21st century, still proposing gesture legislation, in a very European way—which is among my many objections to things European. I hope that this is not an example of gesture legislation, but I wait to be persuaded.