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Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill

As one who gave up chemistry at 14 and Latin even earlier, I have struggled at times to keep up with the learned debate and the well informed points that my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) made. However, given that the Minister had the benefit of a large body of scientific opinion, not least that of the chief scientist, in drafting the Government amendments, which appear reasonable, I have no problem with them. As the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mark Lazarowicz) said, nitrous oxide is, legally, a Kyoto treaty gas. Its reduction must therefore be reported. That is not to negate the interesting points that my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch made, but all of us who support the Bill do so because we recognise the genuine danger that climate change poses and the contribution that CO2 makes to climate change. Amendment No. 29 is unhelpful because it would convey a mixed message about our commitment to Kyoto and do nothing to strengthen our international reputation. Conservative Front Benchers therefore support Government amendments Nos. 35 and 50 and decline to support amendment No. 29.