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Energy Bill

Perhaps I should have continued my story. Due to the difficulty that I had, I introduced the Renewable Energy Bill to this House, which then became the basis for the climate change Bill, a Private Member’s Bill that went through the other place. On the basis of that, the removal of the planning constraints on microgeneration came forward. I am well aware of all that, and I cannot give the Government credit for it. But on that basis, I realise how long these processes take. The Government are saying, ““We need to review this and then we can go forward””. Anyone who has been involved in these processes realises that it takes forever and that the bureaucracy is a nightmare. Therefore, of course I will take on board what is said by the review that is published this week, but I do not see why we could not act as a lead on this and why we could not go forward—we will adopt it anyway, because we have to try to meet our 2020 targets. The view of the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, on renewable generation is somewhat different from the Government’s. Therefore, I hope that the Government will change their mind. I will bring this back at a later stage. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.