Climate Change Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 58: 58: Clause 11, page 6, line 13, leave out ““report setting out”” and insert ““detailed strategy setting out the measures,”” The noble Lord said: I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 62 and 64. We continue to debate Clause 11, as this part of the Bill puts a duty on the Secretary of State to put together a report setting out proposals and policies for meeting the carbon budgets and we feel that, as it stands, the proposal is not robust enough. Our amendment changes the wording slightly but increases the impact. It is not enough that the climate change committee puts together proposals and policy recommendations from which a Minister can pick and choose. We on these Benches want more than a report; we want a detailed strategy outlining the measures that are to be taken, which is part of our more general attempt to beef up the role of the climate change committee. Members of the Committee will appreciate that this is an important change in terms of increasing the role of the climate change committee. At the heart of the relationship between the committee and the Government is the kind of advice that will be passed between them. We want to ensure that the reports on policy are not merely suggestions. Of course, we are leaving the implementation of the policies in the hands of the Minister, as that is the only way in which the climate change committee can effect change. However, we feel that it is important that the strategy that he or she implements comes from the experts and that the committee be encouraged to produce a detailed plan on the ways in which carbon emissions can be reduced and climate change stemmed. This will make it easier for the committee and others to come to an independent view on whether the policies are sufficient to meet future budgets and to help monitor progress towards the budget as time passes. I beg to move.