Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

I apologise to the Minister; I was trying to be helpful. I am also trying to be helpful in speaking to these amendments because I think that they would strengthen the Secretary of State’s position in respect of the MMO. In dealing with the nature of an annual report, it is important that we should provide here in Parliament some of the issues we think it should address. A general principle, which the Minister has suggested is sufficient, may not be enough for Parliament, so I would suggest that Parliament should have an opportunity in enacting legislation to oblige the MMO to adopt a form of practice that I think it would consider to be satisfactory. I also regret that the Minister, while acknowledging that 12 months is a perfectly regular length of time for a report to be received within, is not prepared to see that in the Bill. I am grateful for the Minister’s observations. No doubt we will discuss this matter again.