Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

If the hon. Gentleman looks at Hansard in due course, he will see that I very carefully used the term ““directions””, not ““guidance””. For the edification of those on the Liberal Benches, clause 15 deals with guidance, and clause 16 deals with directions. There is a procedure for consultation under guidance, there is no such procedure under directions. The only thing that the Secretary of State needs to do in regard to directions is to publish them. That is a lacuna. If the hon. Gentleman is now an ally, at least in seeking to modify the direction power to that extent, that is good news.