Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

Amendment No. 29 responds to a small but important point picked up by the Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee in its helpful report. It noticed that, in clause 74, which deals with reserved functions, we had excluded from delegation various legislative or quasi-legislative functions but had not mentioned codes of practice. We agree that that should be done because codes of practice are often indistinguishable from guidance. We are happy, therefore, to make that small change. Amendments Nos. 30 and 31 have the sole purpose of improving the clarity of the wording of the Bill. Amendment No. 42 adds to the list of designated bodies in schedule 7 the joint committees of local authorities that discharge functions in relation to areas of outstanding natural beauty. Amendments Nos. 43 to 55 relate to schedules 9 and 10. Those schedules list detailed provisions for part 8, chapter 2, which relates to agricultural levy bodies. The purpose is to put in place an explicit means of implementing the recommendations of the November 2005 Radcliffe report, which reviewed the position of the main agricultural and horticultural levy bodies. A public consultation on the report’s findings was completed on 3 February and we expect to announce our decisions on the future levy board structure around Easter. The amendments set up a structure that would allow us to proceed after that consultation. I ask hon. Members to accept the Lords amendments. Lords amendment agreed to. Remaining Lords amendments agreed to.