Climate Change Bill [HL]

I understand the motivation behind the amendment, which the noble Lord, Lord Teverson, made clear in his opening contribution, but it would not add anything to the Bill. Clause 12(9) sets a deadline for each annual report, which ensures that Parliament receives information on the UK’s emissions as soon as it becomes available and by a set timetable. The danger is that the amendment could create two possible disadvantages. It might mean that Parliament received less information, because it would apply only to the second and subsequent emissions statements. There would be no deadline for the first emissions statement, relating to 2008, to be laid before Parliament, whereas we have made a commitment in the Bill for that report to obtain for that year. The second possible disadvantage will be recognised on all sides of the Committee. If in any one year the Government found themselves able to publish the report earlier than they did in the previous year, they might be tempted to hold back, not because they were not ready to present the report, which would be recognised by parliamentarians as an advantage, but because by presenting the report early one year, they would then be committing themselves to exactly that timetable for the next year. The rigidity of the timetable which the noble Lord’s amendment contains creates the danger of the Government being tempted to hold back the report until the last minute, because, once they publish early, they would be committing themselves to that date in the following year. We all recognise that we live in a real world in which all this is work for government and a challenge to the Civil Service machine, and there is very great importance attached to the work that is done. In the Bill we have provided for regular reports on each year, while the noble Lord’s amendment potentially presents two disadvantages. The Government have their commitment to a report on each year, which is preferable to the particular rigidity that the noble Lord’s amendment would introduce into the operation, which could lead to the responses and developments that I have indicated.