Climate Change Bill [HL]

I thank the Minister for his positive and genuine response to the weight of the arguments that Members of the Committee have expressed today. Their contributions have been thoughtful and I hope noble Lords have a picture of what we on these Benches are trying to achieve through the amendments. I am grateful for the intervention of my noble friend Lord Crickhowell in showing how delicate the balance is between the executive powers of government and the authority that is given to a body which is not democratically accountable. It has been a very useful debate. I am sorry that there are occasions on which the Minister feels that he has covered this ground before, but it is an important point which lies at the heart of the Bill. It is useful to consider these matters. Indeed, the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, I suspect, has probably moderated his initial reaction in the light of the debate. I hope that is also true of the Government. In another place, where they are allowed to discuss these things, no doubt the same kind of argument went on when the current Prime Minister, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, proposed that the Monetary Committee of the Bank of England should set interest targets. No doubt these kinds of issues weighed heavily then. I do not think there is any body of opinion in either House of Parliament which would argue against that decision today. It bears out entirely the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, that if you want a body’s recommendations to be treated with the gravity you require, you have to give it authority. That lies at the base of these amendments. Imperfect they may be, but I have presented them to the Committee in order that we should think again about the balance between Parliament, government and the committee. In the light of the Government’s response, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 40 and 41 not moved.] Clause 6 agreed to. Clause 7 [Consultation on order setting or amending target percentages]: [Amendment No. 42 not moved.] Clause 7 agreed to. Clause 8 [Setting of carbon budgets for budgetary periods]: