Climate Change Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendment. As the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, will know, he and I voted together in this direction during the Joint Committee pre-scrutiny process. I speak on this issue for the opposite reason from the noble Lord, Lord Teverson. The Bill enables the Secretary of State to amend the 60 per cent target to 80 per cent. It is a red herring to suggest that the target in the Bill is only 60 per cent. My concern would increase even more if the figure were set at 80 per cent; if the Secretary of State had a duty, as under the current Bill, to ensure that that target were met, I would be deeply concerned. The Government would find it difficult, if the climate change committee recommended 80 per cent, not to be seen to be setting challenging targets. It would be almost a game of chicken. If the Government say they have a duty to meet a target, they have to be pretty sure they can meet it; otherwise it is a pointless duty to set. The target can be amended. If a duty were placed on the Secretary of State to ensure that a figure was met, he or she simply could not guarantee to meet it. The other reasons that the noble Lord, Lord Turnbull, gave on the process issues are equally strong and are another reason to accept the amendment. As in the Joint Committee, I find that on this occasion I agree with the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell.