Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

The hon. Gentleman is right that we need clear guidance. I shall not pursue my amendment but we have raised the matter and the Under-Secretary has put his position on it on record. We welcome the group of amendments, which has taken us a long way from where we started. It means that we can look forward to the protection of many of our byways that were under threat of being torn up by motorised vehicles. That will be widely accepted, perhaps with the exception of those who wish to use them. Some of them are reasonable and law-abiding and do not want to chew up the byways—we should not tar everybody with the same brush. However, we should be aware that some people abuse byways. With proper guidance, the Government can ensure that the law is enforced and that those who continue to abuse our byways can be properly prosecuted. I welcome the amendments and thank the Under-Secretary for the way in which he has handled the matter.