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Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

The meeting yesterday with the Minister was helpful and the maps provided transformed the scene for me personally, because I saw the enormous complications that will be involved for the MMO and the bodies with which it has to co-operate. I ask the Minister, for the record, whether the Government are contemplating publishing maps of that kind as part of the Bill when finally it becomes an Act. It would help legislators and those who have to operate this legislation. Whatever the Government do about formalising the means of consultation, the motto should be as simple as possible. It is going to be a very difficult job for the devolved Administrations, the MMO and others to operate this. To leave it completely informal probably will not work. Something will have to happen but the least complicated way will be the right way. I hope that is what the Government will use as their watchword. I am increasingly worried about how this Bill, which seemed on the face of it to be a good idea, is going to operate. It is an example of the problems of devolution. We all want devolution to work as smoothly as possible but this is an example of what happens when functions overlap between the various bodies. It is going to be very difficult indeed, so it will be interesting to hear what the Minister has to say about these amendments.