Climate Change Bill [HL]

To be fair, this is an interesting amendment. When we looked at the analysis of the amendments, we thought that other issues were bubbling away about setting budgets going forward, rolling periods and the 30 June report coinciding with other 30 June reports. Looking at the timetable, the intention is clearly to give the committee flexibility about extending the time that it needs to report and thereon to give the Secretary of State more time, should the committee decide to extend the timing of its report. In truth, there is not a deadline on the extension that the Secretary of State could put on the response. However, we view the Secretary of State’s extension as being as a result of the committee’s extension, so we would not wish there to be any suggestion—as the noble Lord, Lord Redesdale, is suggesting—that there would be an expectation that the Secretary of State could just ponder the committee’s report indefinitely. Given the points made by noble Lords this evening, we will think about it. It might be that I am not necessarily hearing the concerns properly. I will read the points made by noble Lords and think about the debate. I was looking at it from a completely different angle, so I do not want to detain the committee further with points that are possibly irrelevant. If I can add further or come up with any further ideas, I hope to offer noble Lords more reassurance about reporting deadlines.