Climate Change Bill [HL]

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 47. Moved, That this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 47.—(Lord Hunt of Kings Heath.) [Amendments Nos. 47A and 47B, as amendments to Amendment No. 47, not moved.] On Question, Motion agreed to. 48: Insert the following new Clause- ““Report on the civil estate (1) It is the duty of the Office of Government Commerce to lay before Parliament each year a report setting out the progress Her Majesty's Government has made towards improving the efficiency and sustainability of its civil estate. (2) The report must include the progress made towards- (a) reducing the size of the civil estate; (b) improving the sustainability of the buildings that already form part of the civil estate; and (c) ensuring that any new buildings procured for the civil estate are in the upper quartile of energy performance. (3) Where any new building procured for the civil estate is not in the upper quartile of energy performance, the report must state the reasons why this is the case. (4) A report under this section must be laid before Parliament not later than 1st June in the year in which it is to be so laid.”” 48B: Insert the following new Clause- ““Report on the civil estate (1) It is the duty of the Treasury to lay before Parliament in respect of each year, beginning with the year 2008, a report containing an assessment of the progress made in the year towards improving the efficiency and contribution to sustainability of buildings that are part of the civil estate. (2) The report must, in particular, include an assessment of the progress made in the year to which it relates towards- (a) reducing the size of the civil estate, and (b) ensuring that buildings that become part of the civil estate fall within the top quartile of energy performance. (3) If a building that does not fall within the top quartile of energy performance becomes part of the civil estate in the year to which the report relates, the report must state the reasons why the building has nevertheless become part of the civil estate. (4) A report under this section must be laid before Parliament not later than 1st June in the year following the year to which it relates. (5) In this section ““building”” means a building that uses energy for heating or cooling the whole or any part of its interior. (6) For the purposes of this section, a building is part of the civil estate if it is- (a) used for the purposes of central government administration, and (b) of a description of buildings for which, at the passing of this Act, the Treasury has responsibilities in relation to efficiency and sustainability. (7) The Treasury may by order provide for buildings of a specified description to be treated as being, or as not being, part of the civil estate for the purposes of this section. (8) Any such order is subject to affirmative resolution procedure.””