Clause 11 - Power to provide for further exemptions
Water Bill [Lords]
5:00 pm
Mr Elliot Morley (Minister of State (Environment and Agri-Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Scunthorpe, Labour)
I do not dispute that there is a difference between trickle irrigation and spray irrigation. Nor do I dispute the fact that trickle irrigation is generally thought to be a more efficient use of water. However, trickle irrigation can use significant amounts of water, depending on how it is managed. For example, if trickle irrigation is left on night and day, it can use rather large quantities of water. It is therefore appropriate that it should be included, so that we can manage water resources more carefully. I hope that the hon. Gentleman agrees.
The amendment would also preserve the scope for exemptions from the licensing system for specific purposes. The clause already allows exemptions for the types of abstractions listed, when it is sensible to do so in order to provide for the available water resources, so they do not need to be specified. However, trickle irrigation, although desirable, is a
significant water user, and it needs to be brought under the remit of the Bill.