Climate Change Bill [HL]

My Lords, I have also put my name to this amendment, though we had a rather stronger amendment on this subject from these Benches in Committee. I was persuaded by the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, that what we needed was something that—as my noble friend Lady Northover said—is more in line with the companies legislation. This is an important part of what the Bill could do in major corporations and businesses. The definition of what the Secretary of State has to do, and when he or she has to do it, has been left to their discretion in this clause. This is an enabling Bill that could achieve that effect in an area that really counts—business reporting. One of the most important things for enabling government to move ahead in this area is the provision of standards so that the companies that are ahead of the game and report this information have a consistent and understandable framework within which to do so. That would put pressure on the corporations that do not report greenhouse gas emissions or carbon emissions to come into line and do so. How does the Minister see international and European standards coming together with regard to the climate change disclosure board and the international accounting organisations that set standards for company reports? From looking at its website, I seem to remember that Defra suggests its own ways for companies to report carbon emissions. We need to bring this together so that there is consistency and others have to catch up with the corporations that are already well ahead in this regard and willing to do this. I agree that that has to be done within a timescale that allows the standards to be agreed, probably on an international basis, but a signal needs to be sent out that this will happen and that it is important that it does happen. That is why I think that of all the debates we have had in the last hour and a half, this is probably one of the most important in terms of the practical achievement of the real goals of the Bill.