To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what systems will be developed with the £230m allocated to seabed warfare.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what systems will be developed with the £230m allocated to seabed warfare.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to enhance the seabed warfare capabilities of the Royal Navy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to enhance the seabed warfare capabilities of the Royal Navy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Greenpeace’s report entitled Equity, Benefit-Sharing and Financial Architecture in the International Seabed Area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Greenpeace’s report entitled Equity, Benefit-Sharing and Financial Architecture in the International Seabed Area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when does her Department plan to announce the results of the Marine protected areas Stage 3 Consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when does her Department plan to announce the results of the Marine protected areas Stage 3 Consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia, published on 8 December 2025, whether a contract has been placed for the Seabed Sentry network since 5 July 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK unveils new undersea warfare technology to counter threat from Russia, published on 8 December 2025, whether a contract has been placed for the Seabed Sentry network since 5 July 2024.

Lords committee stage. Clauses 1 to 17 agreed to. New clause agreed to. Clause 18, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 19 to 26 agreed to. Schedule agreed to. Bill reported with amendments (HL Bill 157).

Lords committee stage. Clauses 1 to 17 agreed to. New clause agreed to. Clause 18, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 19 to 26 agreed to. Schedule agreed to. Bill reported with amendments (HL Bill 157).

Moved by

Lord Teverson

1: After Clause 3, insert the following new Clause—

“Prevention of avoidance by offshoring of activities

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a United Kingdom person (“P”) arranges for relevant research and development or commercialisation involving marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction, or digital sequence information on such resources,...

Moved by

Lord Teverson

1: After Clause 3, insert the following new Clause—

“Prevention of avoidance by offshoring of activities

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a United Kingdom person (“P”) arranges for relevant research and development or commercialisation involving marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction, or digital sequence information on such resources,...

My Lords, I was feeling quite confident that we would wholly outnumber the government Benches, but then I saw all the people at the back and thought maybe not. We will get good answers to our questions anyway, that is for sure.

As we all said at Second Reading, this is...

My Lords, I was feeling quite confident that we would wholly outnumber the government Benches, but then I saw all the people at the back and thought maybe not. We will get good answers to our questions anyway, that is for sure.

As we all said at Second Reading, this is...

I will speak to Amendment 3 in this group on the UK’s capacity to comply with Article 5 of the BBNJ, which is about capacity building—building the international capacity to understand the problems and issues and to develop solutions.

The UK is particularly well placed to do that because we have...

I will speak to Amendment 3 in this group on the UK’s capacity to comply with Article 5 of the BBNJ, which is about capacity building—building the international capacity to understand the problems and issues and to develop solutions.

The UK is particularly well placed to do that because we have...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, for leading this group. I will start by speaking to my own Amendments 2 and 17, before addressing Amendments 4 and 5 in the name of my noble friend Lord Fuller, who sadly cannot be in the House today.

Amendment 2 is...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, for leading this group. I will start by speaking to my own Amendments 2 and 17, before addressing Amendments 4 and 5 in the name of my noble friend Lord Fuller, who sadly cannot be in the House today.

Amendment 2 is...

My Lords, this set of amendments relates to the operation and enforcement of the BBNJ agreement. This Bill establishes the core domestic legal framework required for the UK to be able to ratify and implement the treaty, while recognising that more detailed compliance and enforcement arrangements will be developed and...

My Lords, this set of amendments relates to the operation and enforcement of the BBNJ agreement. This Bill establishes the core domestic legal framework required for the UK to be able to ratify and implement the treaty, while recognising that more detailed compliance and enforcement arrangements will be developed and...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for responding. I understand why the Minister and the Government do not want this fairly simple Bill to become a Christmas tree of legislation; most of the amendments are probing amendments and not things on which we are ever going to vote, so I...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for responding. I understand why the Minister and the Government do not want this fairly simple Bill to become a Christmas tree of legislation; most of the amendments are probing amendments and not things on which we are ever going to vote, so I...

We are cognisant of what the noble Lord is alerting the Committee to; we just do not think that this is the right Bill to consider those things. Additionally, it is difficult to think about how we would legislate here in the UK for activities that happen under another jurisdiction....

We are cognisant of what the noble Lord is alerting the Committee to; we just do not think that this is the right Bill to consider those things. Additionally, it is difficult to think about how we would legislate here in the UK for activities that happen under another jurisdiction....

With pleasure, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

With pleasure, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Moved by

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

6: After Clause 11, insert the following new Clause—

“Plastic pollution and marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction

(1) The Secretary of State must, in exercising functions under this Act, have regard to the risks to the marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction...

Moved by

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

6: After Clause 11, insert the following new Clause—

“Plastic pollution and marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction

(1) The Secretary of State must, in exercising functions under this Act, have regard to the risks to the marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction...

My Lords, this amendment and Amendment 10 are concerned with plastics pollution. Amendment 6 would require the Secretary of State to assess and respond to the risks to marine biodiversity of plastics pollution that arise from activities that are either under UK control or within UK jurisdiction. This is especially...

My Lords, this amendment and Amendment 10 are concerned with plastics pollution. Amendment 6 would require the Secretary of State to assess and respond to the risks to marine biodiversity of plastics pollution that arise from activities that are either under UK control or within UK jurisdiction. This is especially...

I very much support Amendment 6. In fact, most of the amendments in this group are sensible. Forgive my ignorance, but surely if we pass the criteria for the international treaty, what is to stop us adding things to the Bill? Is there anything? We could, could we not? It...

I very much support Amendment 6. In fact, most of the amendments in this group are sensible. Forgive my ignorance, but surely if we pass the criteria for the international treaty, what is to stop us adding things to the Bill? Is there anything? We could, could we not? It...

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 19 but very much support the amendments around plastic. When I was in the Pacific, I too found myself on a quite deserted desert island full of old fishing nets and, weirdly, a whole lot of stuff manufactured by Unilever. It is very...

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 19 but very much support the amendments around plastic. When I was in the Pacific, I too found myself on a quite deserted desert island full of old fishing nets and, weirdly, a whole lot of stuff manufactured by Unilever. It is very...

My Lords, I will speak very briefly to support what the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, has just said. As the Minister knows, I very strongly support the Bill and welcome it, but it seems that there is a gap here.

I do not want to repeat what the noble Baroness said,...

My Lords, I will speak very briefly to support what the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, has just said. As the Minister knows, I very strongly support the Bill and welcome it, but it seems that there is a gap here.

I do not want to repeat what the noble Baroness said,...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 7 and 7A, in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, even though he has not yet introduced them.

The Chagos Islands are a globally important area. This is the first time in the documented history of the human race that a marine...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 7 and 7A, in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, even though he has not yet introduced them.

The Chagos Islands are a globally important area. This is the first time in the documented history of the human race that a marine...