Schedule 5
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
Public Bill Committees, 30 June 2009, 11:45 am
Ann McKechin (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Scotland Office; Glasgow North, Labour)
I beg to move amendment 23, in schedule 5, page 239, line 12, at end insert
‘(including the carrying out of the sustainability appraisal under paragraph 7)’.
The purpose of this amendment is to ensure consistency with paragraph 6(2)(a) of Schedule 6, which contains similar requirements for the statement of public participation (SPP) in respect of marine plans and states that the SPP timetable must include time for the carrying out of a sustainability appraisal.
Following the widely welcomed concession given on Report in the other place to place in the Bill a requirement to carry out a sustainability appraisal of the marine policy statement, this minor and technical amendment makes it clear that the timetable set out in the statement of public participation for an MPS should also include time to carry out the appraisal of sustainability alongside the preparation of the consultation draft. This brings paragraph 5(2) of schedule 5 in line with the equivalent paragraph in schedule 6 in relation to the SPP marine plans. I hope the Committee will support the minor addition.
Richard Benyon (Shadow Minister, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Newbury, Conservative)
I support the change. It is to the advantage of the Bill.
Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test, Labour)
I seek clarification about the status of the amendment in respect of devolved Administrations. Have devolved Administrations already discussed the amendment and how it affects the Bill? If not, and if my hon. Friend were minded to have such discussions and, as a result of them, decided that other amendments to the schedule might be tabled, would she think that a wise course of action?
Ann McKechin (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Scotland Office; Glasgow North, Labour)
I assure my hon. Friend that we have discussed this issue with the devolved Administrations and reached agreement about it. His other comments are not relevant to the schedule. I do not propose to enter into such a general and hypothetical debate.