Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

It may be helpful if I briefly set out the rationale behind Clause 3. Natural England will be a key source of independent expert advice to government on environmental matters and a statutory consultee on many planning processes. To carry out that role, it is vital that Natural England remains up-to-date in matters relating to its general purpose. The requirement to consult others will help foster a culture of partnership working, ensuring that the expertise of other public bodies, such as the Environment Agency, and specialist non-governmental authority bodies, is used effectively and duplication avoided. Clause 3 also gives Natural England powers to carry out, to commission and to support research in matters relating to its general purpose. This power is clearly required for Natural England to develop and test new approaches or techniques aimed at helping to ensure that our natural environment is managed, conserved and enhanced. The term ““research”” is to be taken in its widest sense. Clause 30 defines research to include inquiries and investigations, and therefore empowers Natural England to carry out surveys and monitoring. The three amendments raise different but related issues, so I will address them one by one. Amendment No. 125 would require the Natural England board to carry out at least an annual review of all matters relating to its general purpose. I understand the concerns of the noble Baroness, Lady Byford, but ask her to consider the view that it would be best if the Natural England board were given responsibility to decide when reviews are needed. In some cases, it may want and need to review matters relating to its general purpose more frequently than annually, and in other cases less frequently. I know that the noble Baroness would not want the board to have to carry out unnecessary work to meet a legal duty, and I hope on that basis that she will withdraw this amendment. Amendment No. 131 would require Natural England to take existing bodies into account before commissioning or supporting research into matters relating to its general purpose. We are not opposed in principle to the intention behind the amendment, but this proposal deals with matters more appropriate to Natural England’s corporate plan and management statement. I reassure the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer, that discussions are already well advanced for jointly managing parts of Defra’s and Natural England’s research programmes. From my experience through involvement with the College of Agriculture and Horticulture in Lancashire and the University of Central Lancashire, I am well aware of the valuable contribution, to which the noble Baroness referred, of university departments, among others. With that reassurance, I hope that she will not press the amendment. Amendment No. 132 would remove Natural England’s requirement to have regard to the JNCC’s common standards on research into nature conservation. Natural England should, in common with its sister bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, have regard to UK common standards established by the JNCC. I have listened to the noble Earls, Lord Peel and Lord Erroll, and the noble Lord, Lord Cameron of Dillington, and I understand that there may be concerns about the lack of opportunity for review and comment on these standards before they are adopted and about the science underlying them. I particularly took note of the points made by the noble Earl, Lord Peel, about the need for proper consultation with land managers in areas with particular issues. The work of the JNCC in this area is subject to review by the individual bodies represented on the committee, and I understand that that also happens at a working level as standards are being prepared. In some cases, independent input is sought from outside the statutory conservation community. Additionally, the committee’s papers are publicly available and its meeting is open to the public. Common standards are required on a wide range of topics, and it would not be appropriate for legislation to set out in detail how the JNCC should prepare them. Having said that, I understand the concerns and the strength of feeling of the three speakers about the amendment. I undertake to pass on all their comments about the need for wider consultation to the JNCC chairman and to suggest that his committee gives further consideration to the points that have been made today. I hope that will help noble Lords who have expressed their concerns about the matter.