Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I thank all noble Lords who have spoken. The noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose, put his finger on the point when he said that there was international agreement about what a biosphere is. The fact is that there is no international agreement, except what constitutes national parks. That is what makes biospheres particularly interesting. I say to the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, that I wanted to include ““affirmation of the local authorities”” as they are the planning authorities, so they need to be fully signed up to the idea of the pilot status. What would be the pilot status? That would be for the Minister to decide. That is where the Minister’s brief slightly missed the thrust of my amendment. Not only does it concern the wildlife aspects of the biosphere, because as she quite rightly said that is already very adequately protected, but it also concerns how the wider biosphere can interact, learn and do all those things that we talk about. Educational establishments can become involved, industry can sign up to its local SSSIs and so on. It is all that working together. Before tabling the amendment, I had a conversation with Sir Martin Doughty of Natural England. He has expressed an interest in this concept. So I hope that, with his encouragement, Defra will move forward with perhaps more enthusiasm towards the review in 2007. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.