Climate Change Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 164: 164: Clause 31, page 16, line 14, at end insert— ““( ) Each national authority must pay to the Committee in respect of each financial year a contribution referred to in this Part as the annual levy. ( ) The amount of the annual levy in respect of each financial year is such amount as may be determined by the Committee. ( ) The Committee may determine different amounts for the annual levy for different contributors. ( ) The Committee must, in January of each year, consult each national authority on its proposed budget for the next financial year.”” The noble Earl said: This is a probing amendment, although it may not look like one. It places a duty on the national authorities to pay an annual levy to fund the work of the Committee on Climate Change. That is simply one way to fund it. However, by tabling the amendment, our intention was to seek an explanation for the record as to the precise cost structure and funding of the committee. Will the Minister explain for the record his predictions of how much it will cost and from where the money will come? Can he tell us what the shadow committee will cost and what will be the ongoing costs of the committee annually? Presumably, that is calculated assuming a committee of nine and a staff of 20. Does the Minister think that that will be enough money? Can he explain if he thinks that that will be an adequate staff? What provisions are there for increasing the committee’s budget and its number of staff? Essentially, I want the Minister to explain the financial aspects of the committee, the ways in which he might foresee that changing and the mechanism for adjusting that change. I beg to move.