Clause 16 - Publication of application for licence

Part of Water Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:00 am on 18 September 2003.

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Photo of Hugo Swire Hugo Swire Opposition Whip (Commons) 10:00, 18 September 2003

It is all very well for the Minister to dismiss the provisions as a small piece of enabling legislation, but he cannot have it both ways. He says that they have already been consulted on, but if so, why does he have no answers? It is no good for him to say that we are coming up with false accusations. My hon. Friend the Member for Leominster suggested a threshold of 50,000 cu m only to tease out an answer, but answer came there none. There may have been consultations, but these provisions have not been properly thought through. We are merely Back Benchers trying yet again to hold an over-mighty Executive to account.