Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I thank Members of the Committee who have spoken. This has been an illuminating debate, as was the Minister’s reply. I thank especially the noble Lord, Lord Dixon-Smith, for his contribution. The Minister referred to habitats most under threat and to those that need targeted action. However, that is not mentioned in the clause, which includes the words, ““principal importance””. Although the Minister says that this is a question of semantics, in the light of the threat to the CEH it is extremely important to get the emphasis right in the clause. If the Government are narrowing down the area of work, the Committee will want to concentrate on that. I await with great interest the Minister’s letter about the CEH. I hope that it will reach us before Report.