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Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

I will certainly have time to reflect on it before Report stage, so I might have more to add. But I do not think that it will be a great deal more. For the reasons I have expressed, the noble Baroness will understand that the Government do not think the authorities should have the borrowing powers. Therefore, capital expenditure will be the decision of the local authorities, which are responsible for the substantial funding. As to how local authorities will make a bid for the necessary capital, clearly, moneys will be available to local authorities to meet these needs. The noble Baroness is likely to say that that is one stage removed from the actors on the ground, the conservation authorities. But, again for the reasons I have identified, we do not think that there is any point in giving them powers to borrow when they are automatically subject to the position that the local authorities responsible will take. This is a productive debate in terms of identifying how it should work, but it is not productive in the sense that we could be persuaded of the only alternative to our model which is being countenanced; namely, that the conservation authorities should have the power to raise money, presumably without the veto from the local authorities. Surely, that does not make sense. If there is a veto from the local authorities, we are back to where the Government say we are, which is why I hope the noble Baroness will withdraw her amendment.