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Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

I am sorry that the noble Lord, Lord Davies of Coity, is not in his place because, although I appreciate that the Environment Agency will be the competent body for the water framework directive, if the decision on the individual project mentioned by the noble Lord—the Severn barrage—was made by the Infrastructure Planning Commission as a result of it being an electricity generation installation of greater than 100 megawatts, we know that that would have a huge impact on water quality, on the water framework directive and on the ability of this country to deliver the objectives of the water framework directive. So although I am absolutely sure the noble Lord was in all good faith assuring us that the Environment Agency would be the competent authority for the water framework directive, nevertheless there are things within the remit of the Infrastructure Planning Commission that will have big impacts on water quality and will prevent the Environment Agency ensuring that this country fulfils the requirements of the water framework directive.