Planning Bill

I am coming to that, but noble Lords would like me to say a little more about the Marine Management Organisation. I am in the unique role to ensure that the two departments work well together and it is my intention and the intention of both Secretaries of State to ensure that there is an integrated approach across government. I hope that this is not establishing potential conflict between the IPC and the MMO. As I have already said, we saw as more anomalous the relationship between the IPC for the very significant national projects that we want to be covered and the role of local authorities as planning authorities. The MMO will have to make a unique contribution to sustainable development and the integrated management of the sea. It will be guided by the UK marine policy statement. We expect the IPC to draw on the expertise of the MMO. The MMO can add additional conditions to an order granting development consent if new information comes to light and can even revoke consents if necessary. The MMO will be responsible for the monitoring and enforcement of IPC consents, and the Planning Bill guidance will detail the nature of the advice that will need to be given by the MMO to the IPC. My understanding is that there will also be a memorandum of understanding to formalise the arrangement. MMO enforcement officers will use Marine Bill powers to enforce the system. Thought has been given to ensuring that there is an integrated approach. I understand that when we come to debate the Marine Bill these matters will be fully debated and scrutinised, but I do not think that what is proposed in this Bill is inconsistent with the general framework of the Planning Bill or with the general structure of the IPC dealing with a smallish number of very significant national projects on an annual basis and the anomalous role of the local authority in terms of planning consents. I hope that I can reassure noble Lords on that and that I have said enough to read the general principles into the record. I am happy to write in even more detail to noble Lords if they would prefer it. I turn to—