---

Planning Bill

I have two quick points to make. I confess that I do not know enough about the 2003 air transport policy to know whether it would fulfil the criteria for a national policy statement, but, as I read Clause 12, it concerns power to designate a statement as a national policy statement, even if it had been issued, "““before the commencement day, or ... sets out national policy by reference to one or more statements issued ... before the commencement day””," and allows pre-commencement consultation and publicity to be taken into account. Clause 5(2) defines national policy statements, and Clause 5(4) states: "““A statement may be designated as a national policy statement for the purposes of this Act only if the consultation and publicity requirements set out in section 7, and the parliamentary requirements set out in section 9, have been complied with in relation to it””." So it is quite clear that the safeguards are there. Whether the air transport policy fulfils those conditions is another matter, which we can debate at a different time, but I am alarmed at the prospect of Clause 12 being removed altogether. For example, I am aware that at least the preparatory steps for consultation and publicity for the nuclear national policy statement have begun. BERR is undertaking the strategic siting assessment consultation at present. If Clause 12(3) were to be removed, there is a least an argument that the Secretary of State would be unable to take into account that consultation and publicity process, which is already being undertaken. Is that the intention of the Conservative Front Bench? It would be alarming if we were to go back to year zero , as it were, now, given the challenges that we face. We need to improve our infrastructure rather rapidly.