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Flood and Water Management Bill

My Lords, this amendment is an attempt to push the Minister into offering an interpretation of sustainable development. It is a notoriously nebulous concept, but if authorities are expected to comply with a duty to contribute towards sustainable development, it is only reasonable that we ask the Minister to spell out what it means. The term can seem to mean whatever the user wants it to mean. It is therefore useful that the Minister is under an obligation to issue guidance on what it will mean in the context of this Bill. Given that there will likely be quite significant consequences on how authorities manage their obligations to comply with the requirement in this Bill, it is important for the Minister to explain to the Committee what he intends. The Government were pressed on this point in another place, but we were not enlightened very much. On Second Reading, I challenged the Minister to say what he meant by sustainable development, as it would be good to get this definition in the Bill. It will not surprise the Minister that I am bringing forward this amendment. I beg to move.