Climate Change Bill [HL]

My Lords, the distinction between the position taken by the noble Baroness and myself and, perhaps, my noble friends, is that when decisions are taken on these issues, I believe that they should come out in the words and phrases used by the scientists, not the politicians. In 20 years’ time, I do not want someone on television saying, ““Well, I’m sorry, we were not interested in that recommendation; it was just a decision taken by Parliament—a bunch of amateurs””. I want people in 20 years’ time to say, ““We have to accept decisions taken 20 years ago in the climate change committee, because they were based on science””. In my view the committee should take the decisions, but the Bill currently refers to advice. ““They were based on advice taken as a result of scientific work and research done by the Committee on Climate Change””. The noble Baroness wants politicians to take the decisions; I want the scientists to recommend or, indeed, decide. That is the distinction.