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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

My Lords, I rise to talk briefly to the noble Baroness’s Amendment No. 123. My understanding is that the intention is that a similar code of practice should apply in relation to the power of entry available to levy boards under Schedule 10, which will now be restricted to business premises only. Indeed, I think she has discussed her amendment with my honourable friend. If such a code is felt to be desirable, then our feeling is that it would be more appropriate to deal with it in Schedule 10, headed ““Ancillary provisions relating to boards””, rather than raising it within the scope of the government new clause that fits with Part 3, ““Wildlife etc””, and the subheading, ““Pesticides harmful to wildlife””. Our view is that there are rather different relationships between levy board staff and their levy payers. The board has wide incidental powers which should be sufficient in dealing with such investigative matters. We are now restricting entry so that authorised levy board officers cannot enter dwellings. In my view, such a specific mention of a code within Schedule 10 is not required. On that basis, I invite the noble Baroness either to withdraw her amendment tonight or to raise it again when we come to debate levy boards in Part 8—on Monday, I hope—in the context of my proposed changes to Schedule 10.