Clause 18

Part of Climate Change Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:49 pm on 1 July 2008.

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Photo of Phil Woolas Phil Woolas Minister of State (Environment), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 6:49, 1 July 2008

I was drawing my remarks on amendment No. 35 to a close. I want to add that schedule 2 provides powers to establish trading schemes and that includes,  of course, provisions for penalties. In that case, for example, within the context of the new carbon reduction commitment, we are looking to develop a compliance regime that provides a transparent and proportionate deterrent against non-compliance.

The sanctions relate to the level of the individual trading scheme or policy, and that is because they are tied to the obligations that fall upon the individual participants in the scheme. In the same way, the framework of sanctions set out in clause 18 falls upon the Secretary of State, because that is where the obligations are placed. I hope that those reassurances about the transparency of the provisions will allow the amendment to be withdrawn.