Clause 19 - Duties to operate installations and provide treatment etc.
Energy Bill [Lords]
Public Bill Committees, 27 May 2004, 2:45 pm
Mr Norman Baker (Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment No. 149, in
clause 19, page 17, line 35, at end insert
'to ensure minimal adverse impact upon the environment'.
I would like to spell out the requirements in subsection (2)(c), which relate to the management of the land. My point is a sort of return to the argument we had about the principal duty earlier. The Minister may say that he anticipates my comments, so I shall anticipate his instead. He may say that the general and specific duties also mentioned in that subsection imply what the amendment specifies, and that there is a general duty to ensure minimal adverse impact on the environment. I would argue, however, for the importance of that being clearly understood. It is helpful to emphasise the importance of minimising the adverse impact on the environment by spelling it out in the Bill.