Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 72:"Page 4, line 25, leave out subsections (4) to (6)." The noble Lord said: My Lords, we have moved to Amendment No. 72 with considerable rapidity. This government amendment would remove the power for the Secretary of State to authorise Natural England to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire land for experimental schemes. The inclusion of powers for the Secretary of State as a last resort to enable Natural England to do that would have carried forward existing powers that are currently available to the Countryside Agency. However, in the light of the very persuasive concerns voiced during Committee in this House and the fact that the Countryside Agency’s powers have never been used, we are now happy to remove the provisions contained in subsections (4) to (6) of Clause 8 and the consequential amendment in Clause 100. I beg to move.