The three speeches/headings immediately before

1. 1 earlier: Hilary Benn

   I will make some progress, if my hon. Friend will forgive me, since I gave way to him earlier. Many Members want to speak.

   Part 6 and schedule 14 will replace sea fisheries committees with new bodies, which will be called inshore fisheries and conservation authorities in England. They will have a duty to manage sea fisheries, balancing socio-economic benefits with protection of the marine environment. They will have more money and strengthened powers, while keeping local involvement in decision making. IFCAs will be very different from the sea fisheries committees that they replace, because, significantly, they will have a new duty to protect the marine environment and promote its recovery from the effects of sea fisheries exploitation. In Wales, Welsh Ministers will take on responsibility for inshore sea fisheries management.

2. 2 earlier: Barry Gardiner

   Will my right hon. Friend give way on that point?

3. 3 earlier: Hilary Benn

   The simple reason, as I tried to explain earlier, is that the Bill in its current form gives the Secretary of State the ability to do precisely what the hon. Gentleman and the campaigning organisations have requested. The flexibility of the provisions means that we can have highly protected areas—which would mean saying "nothing can happen here", as I said earlier—and we can fit the restrictions placed on an area to the objective that we are trying to achieve. The statement that will now have to be laid will enable Ministers to set out clearly the principles that will underlie the taking of decisions about marine conservation zones. Those, and the changes that have been made in the other place, are all about responding to the point that has been made, and the Bill is in the right place as far as achieving that objective is concerned.

   Part 5 will not only fulfil the UK's commitment under the convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic—OSPAR—but make progress on meeting our requirements under the marine strategy framework directive.

   We are also working with Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on four regional projects throughout England, bringing together local industries, fishermen and wildlife groups. Those will play an important part in identifying potential marine conservation zones and ensuring that all stakeholders have a chance to express their views.

   The Bill also puts new duties on public authorities to further the conservation objectives set for marine conservation zones. For example, they should not authorise activities or development that carry a significant risk of hindering these conservation objectives, thus providing better protection. There will also be powers for the MMO to make byelaws and interim byelaws to protect sites, and potential sites, from otherwise unregulated activities that may cause harm—that is a power to act. A general offence is also included to deal with acts of deliberate and reckless damage to a marine conservation zone.