Clause 15 - Applications: types of abstraction licence
Water Bill [Lords]
9:00 am
Mr Norman Baker (Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
The discussion arising from the amendments will be brief. My tabling of them may be due to my past existence as an English teacher. I query the possible ambiguity in the Bill caused by the word ''ought'', which, it seems, can express a view of what should happen without necessarily compelling it to happen. I gently suggest to the Minister that our formulation, the words
''will be considered as if'',
would give a much clearer legal position and be more likely to achieve what the Government want.