Climate Change Bill (HL). Lords Committee stage fifth day. Clauses 28 to 35 agreed to. Clause 36 under consideration. Part 2 of 2 records.

Climate Change Bill (HL). Lords Committee stage fifth day. Clauses 28 to 35 agreed to. Clause 36 under consideration. Part 2 of 2 records.

I am grateful to the Minister for giving a full reply, even at this time of night. It is an important issue, which I hope we will come back to—probably not during the passage of this Bill, but when the Defra feasibility study reports. I am grateful to Members of...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving a full reply, even at this time of night. It is an important issue, which I hope we will come back to—probably not during the passage of this Bill, but when the Defra feasibility study reports. I am grateful to Members of...

I will be very brief. The noble Lord, Lord Woolmer of Leeds, has rendered the Committee a very considerable service by drawing attention to this matter. I rather wish that the Government would try to smuggle in such a scheme before the next election. I think that it would have...

I will be very brief. The noble Lord, Lord Woolmer of Leeds, has rendered the Committee a very considerable service by drawing attention to this matter. I rather wish that the Government would try to smuggle in such a scheme before the next election. I think that it would have...

I was asked whether the Government was going to be brave. It would be a brave Whip in the House of Lords who sought to go further than the Secretary of State on this matter. I welcome the opportunity to respond to this short debate—bravely enough, I hope. I want...

I was asked whether the Government was going to be brave. It would be a brave Whip in the House of Lords who sought to go further than the Secretary of State on this matter. I welcome the opportunity to respond to this short debate—bravely enough, I hope. I want...

moved Amendment No. 165: 165: Clause 36, page 18, line 1, after ““activities”” insert ““including those undertaken by individuals whether singly or as a community”” The noble Baroness said: The purpose of this amendment is to test whether, within the term ““trading schemes,”” as defined in Part 3 of the...

moved Amendment No. 165: 165: Clause 36, page 18, line 1, after ““activities”” insert ““including those undertaken by individuals whether singly or as a community”” The noble Baroness said: The purpose of this amendment is to test whether, within the term ““trading schemes,”” as defined in Part 3 of the...

The noble Baroness, Lady Miller, rightly anticipated that I might rise to take a somewhat different view from hers. The two issues tonight are whether the Bill, as it stands, would enable a personal carbon allowances scheme to be introduced and whether it should be introduced. The amendment seeks to...

The noble Baroness, Lady Miller, rightly anticipated that I might rise to take a somewhat different view from hers. The two issues tonight are whether the Bill, as it stands, would enable a personal carbon allowances scheme to be introduced and whether it should be introduced. The amendment seeks to...

I honestly was not at all irritated. I suppose the penny was dropping when I listened to the speech. Then, when I read my notes, I thought that the speech was asking for something that could not be delivered by this amendment. That was the point. Thank heavens for parliamentary...

I honestly was not at all irritated. I suppose the penny was dropping when I listened to the speech. Then, when I read my notes, I thought that the speech was asking for something that could not be delivered by this amendment. That was the point. Thank heavens for parliamentary...

That was quite a useful amendment and discussion. We are trying to get a single UK trading scheme, rather than separate schemes in the four separate countries of the UK. The Minister used the term ““in concert””; that is exactly what is needed here. We are seeking uniformity across the...

That was quite a useful amendment and discussion. We are trying to get a single UK trading scheme, rather than separate schemes in the four separate countries of the UK. The Minister used the term ““in concert””; that is exactly what is needed here. We are seeking uniformity across the...

I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

I do not want to delay the Committee at a time when the Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms is beginning to look distinctly restless, as I daresay others are. The Minister’s answer became increasingly helpful and constructive as he went on. He started by saying that he did not...

I do not want to delay the Committee at a time when the Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms is beginning to look distinctly restless, as I daresay others are. The Minister’s answer became increasingly helpful and constructive as he went on. He started by saying that he did not...

The Minister said something important just then. He will recall that I had a little go at him before on the membership and the finances of Defra; I am grateful for the letter that he wrote to me, long before Christmas, which found its way to me only a couple...

The Minister said something important just then. He will recall that I had a little go at him before on the membership and the finances of Defra; I am grateful for the letter that he wrote to me, long before Christmas, which found its way to me only a couple...

I do not have the figures in great detail in front of me, but it has to be funded because this is new, and from new legislation that has been agreed by Government. I am not saying that none of this will come from the present Defra budget; in that...

I do not have the figures in great detail in front of me, but it has to be funded because this is new, and from new legislation that has been agreed by Government. I am not saying that none of this will come from the present Defra budget; in that...

No, I regret that I have not, except that I imagine that this is new money—Defra certainly has no money. As I said, while it is in shadow form, the figure for this year, 2007-08, will be about £1.6 million, and once it is on a statutory basis it will...

No, I regret that I have not, except that I imagine that this is new money—Defra certainly has no money. As I said, while it is in shadow form, the figure for this year, 2007-08, will be about £1.6 million, and once it is on a statutory basis it will...

I thank the Minister for clarifying the situation—I think. I was comforted when he said that the priority is the need to ensure that the committee is financed so that it can do its job properly. That is, of course, important, but it seems that whether it is Defra money...

I thank the Minister for clarifying the situation—I think. I was comforted when he said that the priority is the need to ensure that the committee is financed so that it can do its job properly. That is, of course, important, but it seems that whether it is Defra money...

It might be helpful if the Minister could write to me on how much money is allocated from within its existing finances in this year’s Defra budget, and in the following two years. We could then say that we know that Defra has allocated so much, that it is under...

It might be helpful if the Minister could write to me on how much money is allocated from within its existing finances in this year’s Defra budget, and in the following two years. We could then say that we know that Defra has allocated so much, that it is under...

This whole section empowers the national authorities to give binding instructions to the Committee on Climate Change on how it is to exercise its functions. We oppose the inclusion of the clause because we do not feel that it should be within the order-making powers of the Secretary of State...

This whole section empowers the national authorities to give binding instructions to the Committee on Climate Change on how it is to exercise its functions. We oppose the inclusion of the clause because we do not feel that it should be within the order-making powers of the Secretary of State...

I welcome the Question in that it gives the Minister the opportunity to explain the circumstances in which this part of the Bill might be used. Although there is a subsection in it that says that the Secretary of State cannot direct what advice comes out of the committee, the...

I welcome the Question in that it gives the Minister the opportunity to explain the circumstances in which this part of the Bill might be used. Although there is a subsection in it that says that the Secretary of State cannot direct what advice comes out of the committee, the...

I thank the noble Lord for that explanation. Clause 34 agreed to. Clause 35 agreed to. Clause 36 [Trading schemes]:

I thank the noble Lord for that explanation. Clause 34 agreed to. Clause 35 agreed to. Clause 36 [Trading schemes]:

moved Amendment No. 164A: 164A: Clause 36, page 17, line 34, leave out ““relevant national authority”” and insert ““Secretary of State”” The noble Earl said: This Bill makes it clear that the Secretary of State and the Committee on Climate Change have at every turn to consult the national authorities,...

moved Amendment No. 164A: 164A: Clause 36, page 17, line 34, leave out ““relevant national authority”” and insert ““Secretary of State”” The noble Earl said: This Bill makes it clear that the Secretary of State and the Committee on Climate Change have at every turn to consult the national authorities,...

We will come on to this in a later amendments. Although from these Benches we welcome devolution in these areas, I have a number of questions for the noble Earl, Lord Cathcart. One of the characteristics of trading schemes is that the smaller they are, the more difficult the marketability...

We will come on to this in a later amendments. Although from these Benches we welcome devolution in these areas, I have a number of questions for the noble Earl, Lord Cathcart. One of the characteristics of trading schemes is that the smaller they are, the more difficult the marketability...