Public Bill Committees
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 1st sitting (5 speeches)
  [Mr. Eric Forth in the Chair]
  • Clause 1 - “Constitution” (16 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 38, in clause 1, page 1, line 13, at end insert— ‘(4A)The functions of the Forestry Commission for regulation and the provision of advice and incentives,...
  • Schedule 1 - Natural England (15 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 51, in schedule 1, page 41, leave out lines 10 and 11.
  • Clause 2 - General purpose (26 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 39, in clause 2, page 2, line 6, leave out from ‘generations’ to end and insert ‘within the context of sustainable development and the retention of...
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 2nd sitting (0 speeches)
  [Janet Anderson in the Chair]
  • Clause 2 - General Purpose (11 speeches)
    Amendment proposed [this day]: No. 39, in clause 2, page 2, line 6, leave out from ‘generations’ to end and insert ‘within the context of sustainable development and the...
  • Clause 3 - Review and research (5 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 4 - Advice (4 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 7 - Management agreements (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 45, in clause 7, page 3, line 26, leave out ‘who has an interest in the land’ and insert ‘with whom the agreement has been made’.
  • Clause 8 - Experimental schemes (13 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 9 - Information services etc. (5 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 10 - Consultancy services and training (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 11 - Power to charge for services and licences (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 106, in clause 11, page 5, line 15, at end insert— ‘(1A) Before giving consent under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall consult with such persons...
  • Clause 12 - Power to bring criminal proceedings (6 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 13 - Incidental powers (9 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 48, in clause 13, page 5, line 39, leave out from ‘that’ to ‘the’ in line 40 and insert ‘is reasonable for’. This is an important...
  • Clause 14 - Grants (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 15 - Guidance (1 speech)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 16 - Directions (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 50, in clause 16, page 6, line 32, at end insert— ‘(2A)At least 30 days before giving any directions under this section, the Secretary of State must lay...
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 3rd sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Eric Forth in the Chair]
  • Clause 17 - Commission for Rural Communities (45 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 4th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Janet Anderson in the Chair]
  • Clause 17 - Commission for Rural Communities (8 speeches)
    Question proposed [this day],That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Schedule 2 - Commission for Rural Communities (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 57, in schedule 2, page 45, line 13, leave out ‘less than 8 nor more than 15’ and insert ‘more than 8’.
  • Clause 18 - Commission’s general purpose (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 112, in clause 18, page 7, line 17, leave out ‘and economic’ and insert ’, economic and environmental’. I shall not keep the Committee long,...
  • Clause 19 - Representation, advice and monitoring (12 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 113, in clause 19, page 7, line 31, after ‘meeting’, insert ‘, or not meeting,’. This is another brief amendment, and it is equally...
  • Clause 25 - Directions (4 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 26 - Transfers on dissolution of English Nature and Countryside Agency (8 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Schedule 3 - Transfer schemes (1 speech)
    Question proposed, That this schedule be the third schedule to the Bill.
  • Schedule 4 - Joint Nature Conservation Committee (10 speeches)
    Question proposed, That this schedule be the fourth schedule to the Bill.
  • Clause 33 - Purpose of functions under this Part (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 114, in clause 33, page 11, line 25, leave out ‘desirability’ and insert ‘commitment’. The Bill refers in several places to sustainable...
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 5th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Eric Forth in the Chair]
  • Clause 40 - Duty to conserve biodiversity (21 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 103, in clause 40, page 13, line 34, leave out from ‘functions’ to end of line 36 and insert ‘further the conservation of biodiversity, so far as is...
  • Clause 41 - Biodiversity lists and action (England) (13 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 4, in clause 41, page 14, line 33, at end insert ‘and such other bodies as he sees fit’.
  • Clause 42 - Biodiversity lists and action (Wales) (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 77, in clause 42, page 15, line 2, leave out ‘must’ and insert ‘may’.
  • Clause 43 - Possession of pesticides harmful to wildlife (25 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 144, in clause 43, page 15, line 21, at end insert ‘with the intention of committing any offence under Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69),...
  • Clause 44 - Enforcement powers in connection with pesticides (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 124, in clause 44, page 16, line 10, leave out subsections (1) to (3).
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 6th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Janet Anderson in the Chair]
  • Clause 44 - Enforcement powers in connection with pesticides (37 speeches)
    Amendment moved [this day]: No. 124, in clause 44, page 16, line 10, leave out subsections (1) to (3).—[Mr. Paice.]
  • Clause 46 - Protection for nests of certain birds which re-use their nests (17 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 119, in clause 46, page 17, line 3, at beginning insert ‘intentionally’.
  • Clause 49 - Sale etc. of invasive non-native species (5 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 104, in clause 49, page 18, line 31, leave out from ‘is’ to end of line 32 and insert— ‘included in Part III of Schedule 9’.
  • Schedule 5 - Enforcement powers in connection with wildlife (21 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 115, in schedule 5, page 54, line 24, at end insert— ‘(1A)A person may not be authorised under subsection (1) unless he holds such qualifications as the...
  • Clause 55 - Notices and signs relating to SSSIs (6 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 130, in clause 55, page 21, line 7, at end insert— ‘after consultation with every occupier of that land’. The amendment is another one that does not...
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 7th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Eric Forth in the Chair]
  • Clause 56 - Procedure for orders designating National Parks (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment: No. 151, in clause 56, page 22, line 3, at end insert— ‘or (b)in relation to an order designating a National Park in Wales, a community council.’ Thank...
  • Clause 57 - Members of National Park Authorities (15 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment: No. 81, in clause 57, page 22, line 12, at end insert— ‘(ba)a specified number of directly elected members,’.
  • Clause 59 - Notification of agricultural operations on moor and heath in National Parks (4 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 60 - Functions of Broads Authority and others in relation to the Broads (1 speech)
    I beg to move amendment No. 142, in clause 60, page 24, line 13, leave out ‘by grants under section 15 of the 1988 Act’ and insert— ‘otherwise than by means of —...
  • Clause 61 - Restriction on creation of new public rights of way (9 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 8th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Janet Anderson in the Chair]
  • Clause 61 - Restriction on creation of new public rights of way (7 speeches)
    Question proposed [this day], That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 62 - Ending of certain existing unrecorded public rights of way (43 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 72, in clause 62, page 24, line 29, leave out ‘commencement’ and insert ‘19th May 2005’.
  • Clause 63 - Supplementary (8 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 107, in clause 63, page 25, line 24, at end add— ‘(4)Under sections 1, 9, 14, 22, 65, 68, 69, 71 and 92 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27),...
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill, 9th sitting (0 speeches)
  [Mr. Eric Forth in the Chair]
  • Clause 65 - Inland Waterways Advisory Council (0 speeches)
    Clause 65 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 66 - Constitution of Council (7 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 85, in clause 66, page 26, line 15, at end insert 'and the National Assembly for Wales'.
  • Clause 70 - Agreement between a Minister and designated body (8 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 132, in clause 70, page 28, line 18, leave out 'unconditionally or'.
  • Clause 72 - Agreement between designated body (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 135, in clause 72, page 29, line 16, leave out 'may' and insert 'must'. In rejecting my desire in a previous amendment to remove the word ''unconditionally'', the...
  • Clause 74 - Maximum duration of agreement (10 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 74, in clause 74, page 30, line 28, leave out '20' and insert '10'. I was concerned when I read the proposal for the maximum period—I readily accept that it is a...
  • Clause 78 - Power to establish boards (7 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
  • Clause 86 - Directions (1 speech)
    I beg to move amendment No. 146, in clause 86, page 35, line 1, leave out 'The appropriate authority' and insert 'A board'. I apologise for interrupting your flow, Mr. Forth, which was carried...
  • Clause 90 - Byelaws relating to land drainage (3 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 152, in clause 90, page 37, line 8, leave out from 'system' to ', or' in line 10.  
  • Clause 91 - Abolition of certain agricultural etc. committees (2 speeches)
    Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.  
  • Schedule 11 - Minor and consequential amendments (12 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 158, in schedule 11, page 69, line 41, leave out sub-paragraph (h).
  • Schedule 12 - Repeals and revocations (0 speeches)
    Amendments made: No. 162, in schedule 12, page 94, line 34, at end insert— 'Section 64(5).'. No. 163, in schedule 12, page 98, line 12, leave out '22(1) and (2)'' and insert '22' No....
  • Clause 97 - Commencement (7 speeches)
    I beg to move amendment No. 155, in clause 97, page 39, line 18, leave out 'the Environment' and insert 'Agriculture and Rural Development'.