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Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

Amendment A301 is about the preparation of the reports that will consist of the large number of proposals for each part of the coast. They will have to be produced within the framework of what is laid down in the coastal access scheme, as the Minister recently explained. The Bill as it stands says that the preparation of a report cannot take place until the scheme has been approved, but Clause 288(9) says: ""Nothing in subsection (8)"—" which is the bar on preparing the report until the scheme has been approved—""prevents Natural England from surveying any land in connection with the preparation of such a report"." The purpose of the amendment is to probe the meaning of the phrase, "surveying any land". For the purposes of this probing, our amendment adds to that phrase the words, ""carrying out any other research, or undertaking any consultations and discussions with any persons or authorities"." It seems to me that a broad definition of the words "surveying any land" would include carrying out any research off the land, which could be desk research, library research, or talking to anyone about it. Common sense would allow that to happen. Common sense also suggests that this kind of activity ought to be allowed in preparation for the first phase of coastal access reports, even if the coastal access scheme itself is still in the late stages of being produced and approved. That is the purpose of the amendment. I do not intend to speak to Amendment A322. Amendment A323 is to probe what happens in the preparation of a coastal access report if there is already an approved long-distance route on that section of coast. The amendment suggests: ""If the report is in relation to a part of the English coast where there is already an approved long-distance route, Natural England must in preparing the report have regard to the existence of that route and all relevant circumstances relating to it"." That applies in two places in particular. There may be others, but the two that I have identified are the south-west and north Yorkshire, where the Cleveland Way follows the coast of the North York Moors for quite a long distance. In those circumstances, what is the relationship between the existing long-distance route and the new coastal access long-distance route that will be produced in those areas? This is a probing amendment to seek an explanation of that. I do not understand what Amendment A351 means, and I do not understand why it is in this group; it has floated here somehow. I do not intend to speak to it. I beg to move Amendment A301.