Climate Change Bill [HL]

I have not joined in this discussion before but I listened to the debate with great interest. The noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, talked about the problem being between Parliament, the Government and the committee. The noble Lord, Lord May, referred to the committee as science, which he is quite right to do. I remind my noble friend Lord Taylor and the Committee that not only Parliament and the Government will be concerned; the devolved Parliament and Assemblies will be concerned as well. They will have a great deal to say on this. Mr Salmond, the First Minister, is already saying that in no way will there be nuclear power plants in Scotland. I think he is saying that for political reasons; he cannot be saying it on scientific or cost grounds. But he is saying it and he is going to go on doing so. The Government know that and no doubt will allow for it when they bring forward their proposals. The political situation will be quite complex. It will not be just the Westminster Parliament and the Government having to deal with these matters with the committee, it will be the devolved bodies as well. I would ask my noble friend to remember that when he thinks about the future of his amendment. My noble friend Lord Crickhowell was speaking as a former Secretary of State for Wales, and no doubt he was thinking about what is to happen when someone has to make a critical decision on something immediately or in the very short term. As I understood him, he was asking where the power is to lie. The situation is rather more complex than just that of Westminster dealing with this matter politically. Indeed, I think that it will be very problematic. I am not sure of the answer, but it should be taken into consideration.