Climate Change Bill [HL]

We are not going all the way down the chain. It is set out in the Bill. We are making use of the House of Commons Disqualification Act, which does not apply to the House of Lords. This means that Members of the House of Lords would be able to become members of the Committee on Climate Change. Paragraph 28 of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 applies in this case and therefore does not disqualify Members of the House of Lords. Members of the House of Lords are therefore eligible to apply to become members of the Committee on Climate Change. However, all applicants to the committee will have to declare whether they have any political affiliation or are members of stakeholder groups. As we have already debated today and on previous Committee days, we see independence as being crucial. It is vital that the appointments process takes that into account. The way that the various devolution settlements work means that the disqualification aspects for the devolved legislatures come into play. To ensure that the committee is fully independent, MPs and Members of the devolved legislatures will not be eligible to be appointed as members of the Committee on Climate Change. Paragraphs 28 and 29 of Schedule 1 make the necessary provisions to disqualify Members of the House of Commons, even though I agree with my noble friend that Members are capable of putting political allegiances aside. We are not just talking about the actuality of what is done but about the perception as well. Therefore, paragraphs 28 and 29 of Schedule 1 also apply to Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The amendment tabled by the noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose—I am very sorry to see he is not well and we look forward to seeing him back here when he is fully recovered—seeks to ensure that Members of the Scottish Parliament are also disqualified from becoming members of the Committee on Climate Change. I can confirm that Members of the Scottish Parliament will be disqualified from appointment to the committee. There is an established procedure for ensuring such disqualification. It is to be effected by means of an order under the Scotland Act 1998 and does not require to be stated in the Bill. For completeness, I should also confirm—which I may have already done—that Members of the National Assembly for Wales will also be disqualified from becoming members of the Committee on Climate Change. That disqualification will be given effect by making an amendment order to the National Assembly for Wales (Disqualification) Order 2006. The amendment is therefore unnecessary. With the assurance that action is being taken, I hope that the noble Earl will withdraw the amendment.