New clause 2 - Ministerial guidance as respects
Marine Wildlife Conservation Bill
12:00 pm
Mr John Randall (Uxbridge, Conservative)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
This matter has already been touched upon. The purpose of the new clause is to require the Secretary of State in England and the National Assembly in Wales to develop codes of guidance relating to the implementation of the Act.
During my consultations with interested parties after Second Reading, one problem that arose frequently was that people were unclear about the implications of the Bill, especially in relation to the selection of MSSIs. It was always the intention to develop site selection guidelines, but they did not appear in the Bill. Section 33 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires the Minister, in consultation with others, to develop codes of guidance. Such codes should provide guidance to those exercising functions under the SSSI provisions of the Act and to those who might be affected by those provisions.
The codes are subject to parliamentary approval. The new clause would apply section 33 of the 1981 Act to the provisions of this Bill. It would require the Secretary of State in England and the National Assembly in Wales to publish statutory codes of guidance to advise and guide both competent marine authorities and those affected by the Bill. Although it is not explicitly stated, such codes could include agreed guidelines and thresholds for the selection of MSSIs.