Climate Change Bill [HL]

I thank the noble Duke for raising the amendment. I thought that he was thinking about tidying up the drafting for us. Amendment No. 38 would change the definition of an ““annual equivalent”” of a budget, so that it was always the total of the budget divided by five. As we know, the system of five-year budget periods in the Bill mirrors the length of current commitment periods under the Kyoto protocol and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, as has been discussed in Committee. However, binding targets under the Kyoto protocol currently only extend to 2012, and it cannot be taken for granted that any future international agreement that sets targets would run on a five-year cycle. In fact, we touched on that at close of play in our previous sitting. Clause 18, therefore, allows the Secretary of State, subject to parliamentary approval through the affirmative resolution procedure, to amend the length of a carbon budget. That power can be exercised only if it appears necessary to keep the budgetary periods in line with similar periods under any agreement at European or international level. Before doing so, the Secretary of State must consult the devolved Administrations. Clause 18, therefore, ensures the timeframe of budgets in the Bill keeps step with future developments in the international context. However, the amendment changes the definition of ““annual equivalent”” within the budget, so that it is equal to the amount of the carbon budget for the period divided by five. I can understand why the noble Duke has moved the amendment but, given the points that I have made about the international context, he might consider withdrawing it.