Schedule 1 - None
Climate Change Bill [Lords]
8:55 pm
Gregory Barker (Shadow Minister, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Bexhill and Battle, Conservative)
I am delighted to resume proceedings, Mr. Cook. As I was saying, the amendment is an effort to depoliticise the committee and not end up with a group of people who are potentially beholden to Ministers of the day, political parties or special interest groups. There might be some criticism that the Royal Society has its own internal politics. It has been mentioned in previous debates that the world of science is not one of monolithic agreement and unified opinion, but I hope that members of the Committee will agree with the intention behind the amendment.
There needs to be a mechanism to ensure that appropriate experts and scientists are appointed to the committee through a process that is apolitical, independent and credible. What assurance can the Minister give that that will be the case, even if he can explain that nominations and appointments will be carried out with the utmost care and contentiousness? We do not doubt the Government’s commitment to ensure that members of the committee are indeed appropriate, but we consider that there needs to be a provision under the Bill to ensure that that will continue to happen in future. What mechanisms are in place to ensure that, after the initial appointments, the committee will continue to be truly independent?
I am keen to move on to amendment No. 63, but amendments Nos. 59 to 62 are effectively probing amendments, so I shall confine my remarks.