Clause 3 - Continuing requirements of
Sustainable and Secure Buildings Bill
10:45 am
Mr Simon Thomas (Chief Whip; Ceredigion, Plaid Cymru)
I hope that we approve clause 3. I wanted to note that we are, for the first time, extending duties to Crown buildings. That is a subject that interests the Environmental Audit Committee, on which I—and, indeed, several members of this Committee—sit. I am sure that they and the Minister will be aware that the Environmental Audit Committee has made some criticism in the past of the success or otherwise of Crown properties and buildings in achieving energy efficiency, buying renewable energy and improving environmental performance. I therefore welcome the opportunity provided by the clause to give greater scrutiny to what the Crown achieves in that regard.
To go back to what the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North said, perhaps this is an opportunity to review what the House can achieve in terms of sustainability, too—but we have one decent building, of course.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3 ordered to stand part of the Bill.