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Climate Change Bill [HL]

The amendment does indeed contain the phrase, "““and recommendations for new measures, proposals or policies for inclusion in the strategy””." If our amendments had been accepted by the Committee and not withdrawn by ourselves, the statement would have been produced by the Committee on Climate Change. It is important to emphasise that we on this side of the House see the Committee on Climate Change as having considerable authority in these matters and as a considerable skill base with which to provide government with recommendations. In many cases, we have been reluctant to talk about ““advice”” or ““recommending””—we have been firmer than that—but in this area the word used is ““recommendations”” because those people who are aware of an energy imbalance may well be capable of pointing out that it could be addressed by a particular course of energy policy. If the Committee on Climate Change is to be the authoritative body we would like it to be, I would expect it to be in a position whereby it could present such proposals. If it is not to be the Committee on Climate Change but, by the will of Parliament, it is to be the Secretary of State, it would do no harm at all if he at least included in the statement those matters he considered necessary to put the climate change agenda back on course. I hope that clarifies matters for the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, and Members of the Committee.