Climate Change Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 227: 227: Schedule 6, page 68, line 6, at end insert— ““(3) It is the duty of the Administrator to ensure that only renewable transport fuel that— (a) causes or contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions over its total lifecycle from planting or production to use, and (b) contributes to sustainable development and the protection or enhancement of the national or global environment generally, qualifies as a permitted fuel under this Act.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, I shall be brief. We now come to the renewable transport fuel obligations. We are all agreed that the whole purpose of this measure will fall if we do not ensure that biofuels and all the other types of fuel do not contribute to a reduction of the carbon footprint. The Bill does that to some degree in terms of the administrator’s duties and the way in which the measure is rolled out. However, we on these Benches feel that it is not tight enough and that is why we have tabled the amendment. Whatever the Minister’s reply, it is highly unlikely that I will divide the House on this issue. At this stage I would be interested in understanding how the Government are going to ensure that even the requirements in the Bill as it stands are met. I ask this in the knowledge that this is not an easy subject for which there are easy answers, but it is important to understand the Government’s intentions in terms of enforcing the restrictions in the Bill at the present time. I beg to move.