Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I apologise for intervening when the Minister sat down after her preliminary response. I was minded to speak, but was called out in connection with the next business, in which I have a small role to play. Because of that I wish to say what I was going to say in support of the spirit of the amendment. This Government take pride in joined-up government. I wish to use an analogous case, which may be some distance from this, but is in the same area. One problem that some of us on these Benches have had in connection with the National Lottery—and I declare an interest, because of my past involvement in it—has been that the principles of arm’s length distance and additionality, which were argued for very strongly by the present Government when they were in opposition, have been overtaken now they are in government by a willingness to throw away the additionality principle. In discrediting that principle, they have polluted the arm’s length principle, too. I agree that that is a distant example, and I am conscious that I am saying this in the presence of the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, who has more recent experience of these matters than I. Because of the read-across that we conduct in the light of the Government’s pride in joined-up government, there is an underlying suspicion that relates to many of the propositions of the sort that we are discussing. I am delighted that my noble friend Lady Byford has moved the amendment.