Localism Bill

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendment 150ZA. The amendments were inspired by existing legislation to which the Government have already signed up, mainly the Climate Change Act 2008. The Government have agreed to and supported an overall target of a 60 per cent cut in CO2 on 1990 levels by 2030. That cannot be achieved unless there is real commitment behind it. That commitment cannot be isolated in the silo of just one government department; it has to be a theme across all government policies. If the Government wish to achieve their objective, there must be a culture change whereby all departments and Ministers in them have to be aware of the impact of policies which might seem unrelated on the Government’s commitment. If the Government are truly serious about meeting that commitment, as I believe they are, that is what they have to do. In many ways, there is nothing new in these amendments, which I hope will make it easier for the Minister to accept them. They do not seek to introduce new policies; they seek merely to assist the Government in making those linkages and connections between this proposed legislation and legislation that is already on the statute book. The noble Lord and I spent many hours on the Energy Bill and we heard the Minister then say that the Government wanted to be the greenest Government ever. We wholeheartedly support the Government in that objective and we offer to help whenever possible and to be supportive. It is in that spirit that we bring forward these two modest and sensible amendments. If the Government cannot accept them tonight, I urge the noble Lord to take them away, consider them further and perhaps bring them back as government amendments in due course. The amendments set this legislation in the context of the existing legislation. On Amendment 148ZZB, at present the duty to consider climate change applies to the preparation of LDFs but not—this is very important —to neighbourhood planning. The amendment seeks to bring the obligation to consider climate change into local planning. At the end of the existing Section 38A, it would include that it, "““achieves reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in line with the carbon budgets set under the Climate Change Act 2008”” and … meets the current national planning policy objectives on assessing the risk of and adapting to climate change in relation to that area””." Amendment 150ZA provides for a stronger and clearer obligation on local councils to consider the implications of mitigation and adaptation and the provisions of the Climate Change Act to making their plans. There is no confusion about the Government’s intentions. It is clear that the legislation is working with existing legislation and not against it or undermining it. It may assist the noble Lord in considering this issue to know that there is very widespread support from all quarters for both amendments. I shall not read the entire list—that might tempt his patience with me—but it includes organisations such as the Campaign for National Parks, the Council for British Archaeology, the Environmental Law Foundation, the Royal Town Planning Institute, the RSPB, the Town and Country Planning Association and many other wildlife and environmental groups. It may also be of assistance if I point out that Birmingham City Council, which is, at the moment, a Tory and Liberal Democrat controlled council, and the London Borough of Sutton, which is a Liberal Democrat Council, both support these amendments. I hope that on that basis the noble Lord will be able to accept them.