Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 9:"Page 27, line 38, leave out ““19th May 2005”” and insert ““the relevant date””" The noble Lord said: My Lords, in moving my amendment, I remind the House that debate has to be relevant to the question before the House. It will be interesting to see how the Minister gets the answer to the noble Baroness’s question on the previous amendment into debate on a later amendment. Amendment No. 9 is a paving amendment for Amendment No. 11, which makes the relevant date in England 20 January 2005 and in Wales 19 May 2005. Your Lordships will know that 20 January 2005 was when the Government published their response to the consultation proposals, their framework for action on which they announced their intention to legislate. I had intended to go into great detail on this amendment, but I note that the Minister has added his name to it, which leads me to suppose that he intends to support Amendments Nos. 9 and 11. If that is the case, I will leave him to set out the Government’s case for the amendment. I beg to move.