Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I thank noble Lords who have spoken in this illuminating debate. The Minister is right that as we progress through the Bill, we may come to understand more clearly the Government’s intention. It will put us on a better footing at Report to know what should be altered in the Bill. I agree with the noble Earl, Lord Peel, about the funding pots being in so many different places. I suggest that the streamlined approach of the noble Lord, Lord Haskins, which makes it easy for people to understand what funding pots are available and who is administering them, is far from being achieved. I gently make the point that it will make things difficult if the Minister says too often that he will reply to us by letter. I appreciate that the Government have made the Floor of the House available for the Committee rather than taking it in Grand Committee and I am very pleased to see that their faith in how many noble Lords would want to attend has been justified because there are in excess of 40 noble Lords here at the moment. That would have put extreme pressure on the Moses Room had we held the Committee there. However, the other point of having the Committee on the Floor of the House is that should we feel it necessary, we could put things to the vote. If the Minister replies by letter, that becomes difficult. I will read carefully what the Minister said, but I am slightly confused about his reply to the substantive part of my amendment. I think that he said that the noble Lord, Lord Haskins, did not recommend that the social and economic programmes would be devolved in any way, but recommendation nine specifically says that such programmes would pass to regional development agencies, local authorities and the voluntary community sector. I would say that he did envisage those programmes continuing and passing to certain bodies and at the moment that is not on the face of the Bill. I understand what the Minister is saying about Part 8, and no doubt we will discuss that when we get to it, but that matter is entirely between the Secretary of State and whoever he decides to delegate things to. It puts nothing on the face of the Bill so it is not an answer to these questions. I appreciate that we have the entire Bill to go through and then we have Report so, in the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn [Amendments Nos. 10 to 12 not moved.] Clause 1 agreed to. Schedule 1 [Natural England]: [Amendments Nos. 13 to 20 not moved.]