Clause 41
Planning Bill
9:30 am
Jacqui Lait (Shadow Minister, Communities and Local Government; Beckenham, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Minister for those points. I understand the reason for the clause and do not think that we will vote against it because it is necessary. However, the Minister is dismissing my concerns too easily. I accept that if somebody were to come up with workable nuclear fusion, it would be all over the front pages of even the most popular newspapers. My inquiry was about the possible consequences, were a revolutionary new technology to be developed. If there was a nuclear fusion plant, the whole of the grid could be affected. That would have serious implications. If an applicant went to the IPC, he would want that to remain confidential.
I am speaking in broad terms. Often it could be a very little thing. The implication of a development could have an impact that no one had considered because—although I cannot believe that this would happen—the applicant had discovered that the site contained some unique flora or fauna. My hon. Friend the Member for Newbury mentioned the Newbury bypass on several occasions. That road was held up on just that sort of basis and we have seen it time and time again.. I can accept what the Minister is saying in principle, but I seek an assurance that the IPC’s code of conduct will have serious controls over confidentiality.