Climate Change Bill [HL]

That is precisely the case and the amendments would not take account of it. I return to the amendments. The issue has been put in a slightly different way, and it is important for the next stage to know that the Government have a view on particular amendments. Last week, the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, said: "““These emissions vary from year to year, and five years is a sufficiently long period in which to get the feel of things without it being too short a period to be blown off track by seasonal variations that may occur””.—[Official Report, 11/12/07; col. 217.]" Those seem to us to be good arguments against annual targets. However, we would want to know—not necessarily today—how Amendments Nos. 23, 24, 30, 59, 69 and 72 would work and why they contain both legally binding annual targets and non-binding rolling annual targets. As I have said to noble Lords privately, this is a classic example of why this Chamber needs an overhead projector, so that we can see on a screen what we are talking about. It would make it easier to explain. Would the targets be the same, or will a Government be able to set two targets for the same year so that they could always claim that they were meeting one of them? If they could have two targets, you can be sure that that is what they would do. If rolling targets will be set each year, six years ahead, how will that work within the five-year budget framework? What will be the point of the rolling targets if they do not add any value? They may just be ignored. Furthermore, how would rolling annual targets fit in with the proposal in Amendment No. 36 for further interim targets in 2015, 2030 and 2040? Three targets may be applied in 2030, for example—the annual target, the rolling annual target and the interim target, which may each require different levels of emissions. These are practical points. Although we do not agree with the proposal in the precise way in which it has been put, we certainly want to take it away for consideration. We do not believe that setting an arbitrary figure before the start of each year is the best way to ensure that the Government are accountable to Parliament and the public. The accountability provided by the Bill is attractive because it addresses the various difficulties that we have identified in annual targets. We may not have got it right; we would certainly want the climate change committee to look at it. As I have said, we recognise the demands for stronger annual accountability as expressed in these debates, and we will certainly take the issue away for consideration. Although I cannot guarantee to return to it in Committee, we shall put something to the House on Report.