Flood and Water Management Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:45 pm on 12 January 2010.
Anne McIntosh
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I have a simple question. If there is scope, what role, if any, does the Crown Estate have under the Clause? Is it referred to in any shape or form?
Huw Irranca-Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (Marine and Natural Environment)
I am seeking some divine inspiration on the Crown Estate. I had not anticipated a question about that under the Clause, but I am sure that the answer will come to me any moment now.
Eric Martlew
Labour, Carlisle
Perhaps Miss McIntosh would be happy with a written reply.
Huw Irranca-Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (Marine and Natural Environment)
Inspiration has arrived. I am pleased to say that the Crown Estate is not a risk management authority as defined by the Bill, but it can be added. We have the power and ability in the Bill to add bodies subsequently that we clearly identify as risk management authorities. We have the most significant players here—those that can easily be defined as risk management authorities—but if, over time, things changed, we could add others. The Crown Estate is not currently specified in the Bill.
Anne McIntosh
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
5:00,
12 January 2010
I am most grateful for that reply. Will the Minister take the opportunity to write to members of the Committee if there are any other bodies that may fall into that category? That would be helpful.
Martin Horwood
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Thinking of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, presumably the Marine Management Organisation might be one such body. Surely it ought to have some responsibility for managing coastal erosion. The hon. Lady might want to add that to her list.
Eric Martlew
Labour, Carlisle
Perhaps the Minister could write to the Committee on this matter.
Anne McIntosh
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I would be most grateful if the Minister was minded to do that.
Huw Irranca-Davies
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (Marine and Natural Environment)
I think the issue might come up when considering subsequent amendments. May I suggest that we deal with who should be identified as appropriate under subsequent amendments? It might then not be necessary to write to the Committee with a list of those organisations, although I am happy to do so. The nature of the matter is that we need the flexibility to change over time. I therefore do not have a definitive list. We have included the flexibility to change the list in subsequent guidance and regulations. We will deal with the issue under subsequent amendments.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
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